Welcome to New Directions!
by mrstubbington
Summary: AU! Puck, Sam, Mike, Blaine and Artie are the stars of the New Directions, a strip club owned by Will Schuester. But what will happen when a new addition will join them, changing their lives forever? Puckleberry endgame. Loosely based on Magic Mike.
1. New Directions and new beginnings

**Hello everyone! First of all, thank you so much to who took their time to faved, review and read my first story! You are amazing!**

**This is my first attempt to a multi-chaptered-story. Inspiration came after watching the trailer of "Magic Mike", but it will only be loosely (VERY VERY LOOSELY) inspired to the movie, since I didn't watch it. But I did my homeworks and watched some videos on YouTube and read its page on Wikipedia.**

**Hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you like it or if you think it's rubbish and it's better if I focus my energy on something else. REVIEW, I don't bite, I swear! :)**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Glee, or Magic Mike. I'll write Santa Claus about it and see if he can help me change this situation.**

* * *

Finn opened the door of the club. It seemed like he was the only one there.

"Hello? Is anybody in here?" His question was met by silence. "Hello?" asked a little bit louder.

"Weird," he thought "the newspaper said to pass around this time for an interview…" he was about to check the newspaper again when a loud clink of bottles caught his attention.

"How can I help you, kid?" a masculine voice said.

Finn turned around and saw a man around his forties, with short curly blonde hair and a butt chin.

"Hi! I'm Finn Hudson. Are you the owner of the club?" said the tall man.

"Yes, I am" said the man, walking away from the bar and towards Finn. "William Schuester. But everyone here call me Schue." said the man, stretching his hand to Finn for him to shake. "Why are you here?" asked the older, eyeing suspiciously the taller one.

"You're looking for an entertainer. Well, here I am!" finished Finn, with a big, dopey smile on his face. Said smile fell as soon as Schue started laughing at him.

After a 3 good minutes, William said to Finn "Kid, first of all, how old are you? Because, seriously, you look like a very very tall sixteen-year-old boy. Second, do you have any idea of what kind of entertainment my club provide?" a smirk appeared on the owner's face.

"I'm 22, sir." Finn said, and then shyly admitted " And, well, I don't know what happen here but in the paper I read that I can make the big bucks in here", looking at Will in the eyes.

"Oh, that's for sure! My crew will never be out of money, especially cash" laughed Schue.

"Kid, my club is a strip club for ladies" explained the blond straightforwardly "I'm looking for a stripper and, don't take it as an offence, but you don't look like one. You are ok if you want to be in a toothpaste's commercial, but here is your body that make you do the big bucks, as you put it." William stopped talking and took a good look at Finn "And from what I can see your abs are not ripped enough, your arms haven't enough muscles in display and you have to lose at least a couple of pounds" stated Schue seriously. "Sorry, kid".

The older just took a couple of steps before Finn's voice boomed in the club. "I can change! I'll go to the gym more often and whatever you want me to do but please Schue, give me a chance" said the young man with pleading eyes. "I'm begging you" he said, bowing his head defeat.

The owner looked at the guy. "Why do you want it so bad? You look like a guy that can have a easy life and get through with it without any kind of trouble. What's wrong? Daddy doesn't give you the monthly allowance?"

Finn's eyes got a little bit darker and a small sad smile could be seen on the brunette's face. "My real parents died a long time ago and I'm not going to ask to my stepparents to help me with something that I should be able to do by myself. Now I'm living with my little sister and I can't do that anymore. I can't spend another day watching her working herself to the bones, balancing university, two shitty jobs and a brother that can't take care of her. I-I tried everything. Everything! Dog sitter, pony express, hot dog vendor and many other jobs. But we still struggle. And do you want to know what she always says to me? 'Don't worry, Finn. In the end, it will all be worthy'. Well, it's time for me to start giving her the life she deserve. So, question is: will you give me a chance or will I have to find something else to do?".

The two men stared into each other's eyes for what it seemed an eternity. Will knew what the kid must feel. He lost his parents too when he was a teenager and knew how life can bring good people down. And this Finn guy? He looked like a really good one.

"Come here tomorrow around 2 pm" said Schue, gaining a very hopeful look from the younger of the two. "I'll introduce you to some of your colleagues and you'll start your work-out with my best men. I'll give you a month, if you still look like a preschooler you're out, got it?" ended the owner.

Finn's smile went from ear to ear. He took Schue's hand and shook it enthusiastically.

"Thank you! I won't let you down, I promise! I'll try my hardest to become like Big Jim!" he said seriously.

Schuester laughed wholeheartedly. "Dork", the owner muttered.

"See you tomorrow than!" said the young man happily. Finn was about to go out the club when Will's voice caught his attention.

"And Finn? Welcome to New Directions".

* * *

Rachel closed the door of her and her brother's apartment. A nice smell of homemade goods made her mouth drool; Finn is one hell of a cook. Hanging her purse and coat on the hallstand, she said "Finn, I'm home!"

"Kitchen!" was her brother's answer. Their apartment was rather small so it didn't take her lot of time to reach her destination.

"This smells so good! What are you preparing?" smiled the petite woman.

"Today we have to celebrate! I made your favourite: parmesan eggplants. Sit, sit. It's ready!" said Finn.

"And what are we celebrating, if I might ask?"

Finn put a portion of the Italian dish right in front of her and went sit on the other side of the table.

"My new job! I had an interview today and I got the spot!" The men's eyes shone with excitement. Rachel was really happy that her brother was so ecstatic.

"It's wonderful, Finn!" said the woman, flashing a sincere big smile. "What are you going to do in this new job?"

"Ehm…" Finn scratched the back of his neck, unsure if saying the truth was the best thing to do. But he had never lied to her sister before and he wouldn't start anytime soon so he said "I will be a stripper."

Rachel chocked with her food. It took her a couple of minutes to regain control of herself. "I beg you pardon?" said the small woman, looking in her brother in the eyes. "Could you kindly repeat your previous statement?"

"Rach, don't freak out. It's not the end of the world! I would work from Thursday to Sunday and it will make me earn three times as much as I earn working at the coffee shop! We need the money!" he tried to convince her.

"No, Finn, no! You are not going to show your body to eager perverted women for money. We will manage as we always do. If you feel the necessity of having an higher income I could…" but she was stopped by her brother.

"Rachel, stop! I have already made up my mind. And you are not going to find another job. Rachel, you don't deserve this kind of life and, if I can help you somehow, I'll do. With me taking this job, you can leave one of yours and focus on your studies. You have to shine, sis. But our lifestyle doesn't allow you to do that, and it kills me every time I see you come back home so tired you barely eat dinner. This kind of life ends now."

"Finn" she took her brother's hand "I don't mind living like that. Millions of people struggle like we do. But the Berries are a tough bunch, remember that. We will …"

Finn intervened "Rachie, I'm not a Berry" said with a small smile.

Rachel looked at him as if he lost his mind "Nonsense. You are as much of a Berry as I am. You are my brother even if we don't share the same blood."

"Anyway" Finn squeezed her hand lightly. "As I told you, I'm taking this job. Let's just see it as a regular job. I won't kill anyone, or rob, or do any kind of illegal activity. Just have faith in me, would you?" ended the tall one, flashing pleading eyes to her little sister.

"Okay, Finn. I'll trust you" said Rachel defeated.

They ended the meal in silence.

Rachel was washing their dishes when her brother's voice caught her attention.

"Are you mad at me?" he said with a small voice.

The young woman put down the dishes, turned around and covered the small distance between the two.

"No, Finnie, I'm not mad at you" she said softly. "I'm just sad that you have to do this for us. It's not fair. You have dreams. You wanted to be a teacher when we first came here. Why do you have to leave your dream aside for me? You could still go to community college! You could do that!" stated Rachel.

"We don't have enough money, Rach. And I'm not a good student like you, I would never get a full scholarship. But maybe, with the money that I can earn with this job I could try next semester. I won't give up. You taught me that." Finn smiled down at her. " In the end it will all be worthy, right?"

She hugged her brother tight. "I'm going to support you whatever you decide to do. You're not getting rid of me so easily" she muttered against her brother's chest. "Let's just don't say anything about your new job to Dad and Daddy, deal?"

"Oh, God, no! They definitely don't have to find out about it! They would freak out and take us back in Lima" Finn laughed.

"When will you start working at the club?" asked Rachel with curiosity.

"I have a meeting tomorrow at 2 pm with my boss and the guys who work there. And then I think we'll hit the gym. My boss said that my body isn't right for the job but I'm willing to prove it wrong. So, starting tomorrow, I'll be on diet" he informed her.

The young women freed herself from the brotherly embrace. "Excuse me" she said, looking furious. "Who said that to you? I would like to talk to the person who said that about your body. You're anything but charming and everyone who think otherwise is a fool!". She was pressured everyday about her appearance and knows how this kind of statements could hurt a person. She would like to bitch slap the meathead who said that to her brother.

Finn's laugh boomed all over the apartment. "Rachie, don't need to bring out your bitchy side for something like that!" smiled the man "He's kind of right. And I don't mind working out a bit, it will give me the chance to befriend with the other guys."

"You said the words and I will march the distance between here and this place and threaten everyone who dares to say anything bad about you, ok?" stated Rachel seriously.

"I can take care of myself, little sister" he smiled fondly at her. A yawn escaped from her mouth. "Now go to sleep. You're exhausted, I can tell" he said.

"Okay. Good night Finn, sleep tight" said the petite woman, raising on her tip toes and kissing her brother's cheek.

"Night, Rach" was Finn's answer.

He knew that finally fortune was coming their way.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think? Sorry for the lack of Puck but worry not, my dears! He will arrive in the next chapter. Please, share your opinion and review!:) Thank you! XOXO**


	2. First Impressions

**Hello everyone! First of all, thank you to anyone of you who rieviewed, faved, followed or just read the story. You are totally awesome and you rock!**

**Here it is the second chapter! Keep on reading and review *Hug***

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, or Magic Mike, bla, bla, bla...**

* * *

"Puck! Drag your ass out of bed and get ready!" shouted Sam from the living room. It was the third time this morning that the blond tried to wake his best friend and roommate up. "Come on dude! We have to be at the club in two hours!"

"Have you done with the shouting, mom?" said Puck sleepily.

He appeared from the hallway, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He dragged his feet and went to the kitchen, looking for something to eat. He scratched his abs absent-mindedly while searching for something edible to eat. He set for a bowl of cereal with a splash of milk. Then he joined Sam in the living room's couch.

"What is that fuckery about be at the club in two hours? It's Wednesday! I know that you're not as smart as me but you should know that we don't work on Wednesdays. Thought that after 4 years you would have got that shit right".

The blonde rolled his eyes at his friend's antics and then looked at him unimpressed.

"If you would have gotten up when I first start calling you, you would have known that Schue called this morning. He found Matt's substitute and wanted to introduce him to us. And then he asked if we could drag the newbie to the gym to get him in shape".

"And why on earth the fucker hired the dude if he's not smocking hot, uh? I mean, I don't say that he should have looked for a stud like me – I'm one in a billion, so it's like impossible – but he could go for someone at least passable, like you. We've got a reputation!" said the mohawked man, irritated.

"Jeez, talking to you do wonders for my ego" muttered Sam under his breath.

"Sorry, did I hurt your feelings?" Puck smirked to his friend "Is it again that time of the month? Do you have enough tampons?". At his own statement, the man laughed out loud.

The blonde shook his head and passed his hands across his face. Why on hell does he have such shitty tastes about friends? He definitely needs new ones.

They met for the first time when the southern man moved to the Big Apple and found a job at New Directions. Puck was working there from a couple of years already and, even if he was abrasive and crass, the two immediately got along and became great friends. Sam moved in with Puck just a few days after he landed the job.

"However," said Sam, just enough to be heard over the laughter "give the man a chance. We still haven't met the kid yet. Maybe he's better than what we think!"

Puck got up from the couch and went toward the kitchen "Fine, princess. Let's do it your way."

After rinsing the bowl, the brunette said "I'll take a shower and get dressed so we can be there in time. Okay, Trouty Mouth?" smirked Puck from over his shoulder.

Sam's eyes grew exponentially "Dude, still with this nickname?! Cut the crap and go! Sometimes my grandma is faster than you in getting ready!

"Dude, are you questioning my badassness? Have you seen my guns?" said the dark-haired man, flexing the muscles in his arms.

"GO!" was the exasperated yell that Sam threw to his roommate.

Puck's arms fell along his side and looked at his best friend as he grew another head. "Evans, seriously, can't wait for your period to stop! You're really edgy in these day".

Okay, the pillow he received on the head? Totally deserved.

* * *

Finn was quite nervous. It was like go back to school where you have to look very cool so the popular kids will like you. He really, really, really hoped to make a good impression: those guys would teach him everything to become a good stripper. God, he never thought that one day he would become an exotic dancer (a term used by Rachel earlier that day that made him laugh a lot. There's nothing exotic in him; he comes from Ohio, for crying out loud!). But what do they say? YOLO, right?

Finn arrived outside the club and opened the door.

As soon as he went in, he noticed that on the bar stools were seated two men and other two were behind the bar. The ones seated had both dark hair. One was Asian, with a very toned and lean physique, while the other was definitely built. Muscles seemed as they were this close to rip his T-shirt, and he totally rocked a strip of dark hair on his head. On the other side of the counter, other two men was laughing at something that one of their friend had said. The taller was blonde, VERY blonde; he looked like he could be the main character of The O.C. His face featured a friendly smile with rosy cheeks and his body seemed very similar to the one with the strip of hair. The last was short, like, really short. His hair was perfectly tamed with tons of gel and he had a bowtie around the collar of his shirt.

Finn coughed a couple of times and four set of eyes fell on him.

"You've got to be shitting me" muttered mohawked man, gaining a slap on the back of his head by the Asian.

Finn squirmed on the spot. He was totally freaking out, but he managed to utter "Hi, I'm Finn Hudson."

The first to speak was the shortest one. He went out from behind the counter and extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Finn. I'm Blaine Anderson and I'm really happy to welcome you here. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask. I'll be very glad to help you setting in this new environment" said Blaine friendly.

The one who talked before said "Dude, you're scaring the guy to death! He's this close to turn around and run away" The brunette stopped and pretended to think before adding with a smirk on his face "You know what, Anderson? Keep going! He might really run away and never come back" With this, he gained another slap by the Asian.

Blaine refocused his attention on Finn "Please, excuse him. Rumour has it he was raised by wolves and never learn how to be civilized".

Finn smiled warmly at Blaine. "Noted" he said.

"Let me introduce you to some of the guys. The one with the ridiculous haircut is Noah Puckerman" the short one was once again interrupted by Noah. "Do you have something against the 'Hawk, Anderson? It's totally badass!" and then looked into Finn's eyes "Call me Puck, or I'll beat the crap out of you". Finn nodded.

"So much for giving him a chance, uh?" muttered Sam to his best friend. Puck shrugged his shoulders.

"This" continued Blaine, putting one of his hands on the Asian's shoulder "is Mike Chang. He's one hell of a choreographer and he's the mind behind some of our shows". Mike waved friendly to Finn.

"And that one is Sam Evans" finally said Blaine. Sam stopped Blaine by extending his hand to Finn and saying "Hey dude! It's good to meet you. Welcome in the family. You ready to hit the gym with me and Puck this afternoon? The one where we go is awesome! And it's a nice change having someone else to come with us. Puck can be quite an asshole" Finn laughed out loud and a cute dimple appeared on his cheek.

Just as Puck was about to say something to the blonde, the door slammed and Schue, followed by another man, entered the room. The young man had brown hair with swing bangs that covered his forehead and blue eyes.

The owner immediately spotted Finn.

"Hi Finn! See you met the guys. Hope they didn't scare you too much" eyeing Puck. Noah raised his arms in defence "Hey, I didn't do anything wrong! Just wondering why you gave him the job if he looks like a beached whale".

"Puck, you're an asshole!" said Mike, while Sam looked at the newbie in the eyes "Don't worry man" said the blonde "We'll have you in great shape in no time!"

"Okay, kids, stop!" shouted Schue. Once the young men stopped bickering, the owner said "Finn, this is Artie Abrams, one of your colleagues. Now, if you follow me in my office, we'll talk about your pay check and things like that". Finn flashed at smile at Artie, who answered to it with a wave, and promptly followed Will.

The guys remained alone in the big hall.

"Well, he seems like an okay dude! Maybe a little shy, but he just have to know us more and there will be no problems!" stated Sam. Everyone agreed, except Puck.

"I don't know" he started, scratching the back of his neck "He seems out of place here. Like, 'I got lost and I need direction, please help me' out of place. He doesn't belong in here!"

Blaine intervened "You said the same thing about me the first time you saw me and here I am!"

"Actually, you still suck!" joked the dark-haired man.

"I'm totally cool with him being part of the crew" said Mike "I mean, once he builds up some muscles and we teach him the tricks of the trade, he will be a great addition to the crew. Really hope he could dance, though, 'cause he seems a little goofy"

"Well, Puck" said Artie, at last "seems like you're being outnumbered because I got a good vibe about the guy, even if I've been in the same room with him for like 5 seconds." He looked at his friend, whose hands were covering his face in desperation. "Come on" the blue-eyed one said to Puck, poking him with his elbow "give him a chance!"

"Exactly!" Sam jumped at the occasion of saying something "You told me you would have given the dude a chance! You owe me that!"

"Fine" muttered Puckerman to the others. "I'll try to give the dude a chance. Happy, pussies?"

After half an hour, Finn and Schue came back and rejoined the group of strippers.

"Well, Finn" said Artie "It was a pleasure meeting you but I have to go. Got a romantic evening with my lady" smiled the guy fondly, thinking about his Mercedes. "See you tomorrow night! Bye guys!". And with that, Artie was out.

"It's better for me to go too if I want to make it to dance class in time" declared Mike. The Asian patted Finn's shoulder and, noticing that no one was listening to him, added "Don't listen to what Puck says, he's joking the majority of the time. I know he can be a real asshole but he's a good friend. You'll find out pretty soon".

"Thank you for the heads-up, man. I really appreciate it" stated Finn sincerely.

Chang winked at him and waved at the rest of them.

"Frankenteen, you ready to hit the gym? Me and Trouty mouth here will make you cry" finished Puck with a satisfied grin on his face. Finn looked at Puck in the eyes and, smiling, said "Bring It!".

Sam laughed at the brunette's answer and then asked Blaine "You coming too?"

The short guy shook his head "Next time, Sam. Right now I just have to get home and study for tomorrow class". He looked at Finn kindly and said "Welcome in the family, Finn. Hope you'll like it in here. I know this isn't a very normal job but at least the pay is good and the colleagues aren't that bad…Well, the majority of them at least!" winking at Puck.

"You hitting on me Anderson?! I mean, I know I'm a stud and all but I definitely don't swing that way" joked Noah. Blaine laughed out loud at his friend statement. "Guess that was my cue to go! See you tomorrow, guys!" declared the shortest of the group.

After saying goodbye to Schue, it was time for the three men to go to the gym and get Finn back in shape.

* * *

At the gym, Finn was definitely more self-conscious about his body. And having Puck and Sam as work-out buddies wasn't of any help. Puck's shorts were riding low on his hips and his muscular arms were set free thanks to a black wife-beater and Sam had long pants and his t-shirt barely restrained his muscles. Finn felt like the ugly duckling with his overused pants and McKinley titans' tee. He definitely had to buy new gym clothes.

After an hour and a half, all Finn wanted to do was dig a hole and die in there. He didn't work out in a very long time and his body was screaming.

"What about we take a break?" said the blonde of the threesome "You don't have to overwork yourself. It's not good for your body". Finn wanted to answer but, since he was completely out of breath, he just managed to nodded a couple of time.

The three men went to the gym bar and Sam ordered orange juices for them to drink.

"So, what's your story?" asked Puck to the newbie.

"What?" asked Finn after he drank his OJ in one gulp.

Puck rolled his eyes "What's your story? You know, where are you from, something about your family and shit like that".

"Oh, sure!" and, like that, Finn started talking. "I'm from Lima, Ohio and my parents were Carole and James. My mom was an housewife and my dad was in the Army. They died when I was 8". A sad smile emerged from his face. "The only things that I actually remember are our breakfasts together. My mom cooked some mean chocolate pancakes and my dad, as soon as he sat down, would pass me the comics section of the newspaper because he knew that I wanted to read it really bad but he also knew that, since I wanted to let him enjoy his reading in peace, I would wait for him to finish, fidgeting in my chair" Finn smiled fondly at the memory.

"They died in a car accident. A drunk driver missed the stop and…" the man shrugged; the other two were looking at him, engrossed with his story. So he kept going "At that point, I had two options: moving in with my grandparents in Pennsylvania or stay in Lima with my parents' best friends. I chose to stay in Lima and live with my now stepparents. It's the best decision I have ever taken in my life. And with two amazing stepparents I also gained a little sister, Rachel. She's just a few months younger but still. She's my rock. I think she's the bravest person I know. She was heavily bullied since she was a little girl because of her big dreams and our fathers' homosexuality but she had always kept her head up high and fought for what she thought was right!". He took a deep breath and followed with his story "Even when high school came along and I was nominated quarterback of the football team, the bullying continued. I had tried my hardest to protect her but it wasn't enough. One day, I was this close to leave the football team 'cause one of my teammates slushied her but she begged me not to, she wouldn't want to see me put up with all the crap that she had to face every single day. And then she said 'One day, all this little-minded buffoons will see my star shine so bright it will make it painful to watch at and they will still be here, in Lima, living sad lives and drinking till their livers will explode'". Finn laughed recalling his sister's words. "And you know what? She was totally right 'cause Rachel will graduate from NYADA in the spring and some musicals' producers already want her in their productions while the majority of her bullies are still stuck in Lima, working at the local 7/11, or at the only restaurant in town". At last, he told them the same things he said to Schue and why he needs to work at New Directions.

"Whoa!" the blonde finally said, looking at his best friend "This is one hell of a story!".

Finn smiled coyly.

It was Puck's turn to talk "So, this explained why your sister is here but not why you are here in the City".

"As if I would have let her be all by herself in this big ass city! She's brave but she's little. She's like Blaine-tall. I have to protect her" said Finn seriously.

Puck laughed out loud at the statement. "I get you, dude. I have a little sister, too. Now, if you ladies mind, could we come back to our work-out?" And with that, the dark-haired man got up and patted Finn's shoulder. "Come on, dude! I'll help you with your weigh-lifting".

Sam smiled. Finn just received the Puckerman's stamp of approval.

* * *

**And this is a wrap for chapter 2! You met the first pair: Artie/Mercedes (always thought they would made a cute couple...and their voices are SO GOOD together!). Like it? Hate it? Write on the box below and let me know! (uh, it rhymes!). The Puckleberry meeting is approaching but you have to wait a little longer.**

**Up next: It's Show Time!**

**XOXO**


	3. It's Show Time

**Hello everyone! It's time for an update, don't you think? I really really hope that you like it! **

**Thank you again for reading, favouring, following and commenting my story; i can't express in words how much it makes me happy!:) You are one of the things i'm thankful for!:D**

**Disclaimer: i don't own Glee nor Magic Mike...if I were, Mark Salling would have a solo each episode!**

* * *

Thursdays were Rachel's day off from the diner. And they were also her and her best friend's date night; they would eat dinner together and watch a movie, usually chosen by said best friend since none of Rachel's suggestions was approved by her friend.

But this Thursday was different. She would still have dinner and watch a movie with Santana, but it was Finn's first day of work at New Directions and, if it was possible, she was more nervous about it than he was.

She was fixing the dinner when she heard a knock on the door. Rachel wiped her hands on the apron and opened.

"Hey Berry!" Santana entered before Rachel could say anything. "I'm fucking starving. Is dinner ready, wifey?" said the Latina smirking.

"Hello to you too, San" said politely the short brunette and entering in the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready shortly. How was your day?"

The bronze-skinned woman shrugged and sat on a chair. "Usual, I guess" She grabbed a breadstick and started to nibble at it. Then, she looked around. "Where is Finn?"

"He's getting ready, today it's his first day at the club!" said Rachel to her best friend.

Of course, she told her what Finn's new job consisted in. They never lied to each other and their friendship was strong and solid. Santana was Rachel's first best friend (if not her first friend at all); she was abrasive, rough around the edges and never spared Rachel a piece of her mind but she was also very protective and caring with the ones who manage to destroy the walls that she built around her. At first Santana was one of her most vicious bullies but, thanks to the glee club, they became friends. Rachel helped Santana when the latter struggled with her sexuality and gave her a roof over her head when the Latina came out to her parents and they kicked her out of the house. These kind of things made Santana be loyal to Rachel and her family for life.

"Oh, right! His new job" said Santana mischievously. She was about to say something else but Finn chose that moment to enter the room. "Hello there, Full Monty! You ready to shake your bon bon?" laughed Santana.

Finn looked at Rachel unimpressed. "Seriously, Rach? You told her?" said pointing at Santana.

"Oh, Finnessa, don't be mad at Berry. I would have find out eventually anyway, the glitter is a bitch to take off the skin!" Santana laughed even harder. She found herself hilarious.

"Santana, stop teasing him! You're being rude and it's totally uncalled for!" Rachel stomped her foot at her best friend and then looked at her brother, shrugging with a small smile "Sorry?"

At that point, Santana noticed her friend's attire. "Wait a second. This is how you go to a strip club? With washout jeans and a plaid shirt?"

Finn rolled his eyes. "Do you think that strippers go to work with just their briefs and no shirt on? Really?" Santana shrugged in response. "And then I'm not going to do anything for the first month. I'm just there to learn what I'm supposed to do."

"Oh, that's something I can tell you" said Santana with a smirk on her face "you take your clothes off and wiggle your pendulum".

At that Rachel covered her ears and started to yell to her best friend "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Ew! Gross!" and went out the kitchen. Finn and San looked into each other's eyes and started laughing. Shaking his head, Finn followed his sister out of the room leaving Santana alone. She reached the counter and finished putting the food in the plates and then she brought them in the living room, where Rachel was sitting on the sofa with her ears still covered.

"Have you done?" Rachel asked her best friend, grabbing her plate. " And since you caused me emotional distress earlier, we're watching 'Funny Girl'. You owe me that!"

Santana complained loudly about the movie's choice. Of course.

Finn came in sight and announced "Well ladies, I'm out! Have a nice evening". He kissed Rachel's head and ruffled Santana's hair, gaining a glare from the Latina.

"See you soon and greet the other Chippendales' members from me!" said cheekily Santana.

"Stop it!" said the short brunette, slapping her best friend's arm. "See you tomorrow, Finn" smiled to her brother.

Just after a couple of minutes since Finn closed the door behind him, Santana asked seriously "So, when are we going to the strip club?"

"What about…"she pretended to think. "…Never?" answered Rachel equally serious. "I'm not going to see my brother getting naked in front of dozens upon dozens of women. I already had my fair share of therapy hours in my teenage years and I don't want to restart any type of analysis on myself any time soon! Moreover, my psychologist, as you know, works in Lima and I'm not in the right state of mind for trusting another expert".

"Berry, you know I'm gonna drag you there anyway. And there isn't just Finn working there! There must be some sweet, sweet asses over there that are just waiting for us" said the Latina with a sinister smirk on her face. Rachel looked at her best friend as if she had completely lost her mind. "Santana, last time I check you were in a very happy relationship with Brittany. I won't help you cheat on her! She's lovely and she has such a good influence on you. You two even live together, for heaven's sake! You can't break up with her! Everything that made you think about returning on the heterosexual side, FIX IT!" said the brown-eyed woman hotly.

"Whoa! Calm your tits, Rach! I'm not breaking up with Brit nor do I want to cheat on her! I'm just curious…and then looking at some almost-naked guy is not considered cheating if you're sure as fuck you're lesbian!" laughed Santana. "And I love me some Britt Britt's lady fun very much, thank you; so I'm damn sure I'm 100% lesbian." The Latina winked at her friend. "Just, see it as a chance of going out of this cloister and have some fun!" San looked around the living room and then her eyes met Rachel's very confused ones.

"What do you mean with cloister? I resent that. I go out plenty!" said Rachel annoyed.

"And where do you go? In the bar down the street where you can't find a good fuck even if you beg for it. Hon, you need to get laid. Like, yesterday. You're bitchy when you don't put it out." Rachel's mouth fell open outraged but her best friend continued. "And don't give me that look! When was the last time you had sex with someone?" questioned the Latina, putting emphasis on the last word. "If I'm right, it was with Jesse St. Suck 9 months ago! I bet you had to stock tons of batteries for the little toy you keep in the second drawer of your nightstand".

Santana took her best friend's hands in hers (while Rachel's face turned crimson) and continued her speech "Rach, you have to start living a little! You're young, you're hot and you have to start to get out of your comfort zone. So I decided that we are going to the strip club. I'm not telling you when or you will invent some lame excuse for not coming. Case closed."

Rachel crossed her arms on her chest and sank deeper into the sofa's cushions, turning her body toward the TV.

"I have to start choosing my friends more carefully" said the short brunette, sulking.

And with that the discussion was over and they refocused on the movie.

* * *

The first greeting that Finn received when entered the New Direction was the sight of Will with just a vest, black briefs and a Stetson on his head.

With eyes filled with embarrassment, the tall man walked to his boss and uttered "H-Hi! Do I have to wear something like this too?!"

The owner laughed at the expression of pure terror on the young face. "Oh, don't worry, once you start your real job here you'll end up with less! However, no. You have to wear clothes…This is why they call it 'strip-tease', because you have to strip off your clothes!" and than noticing the grimace on the other said "You want to quit? Having second thoughts?"

"No, no" answered quickly "I think it just sunk in, I mean, the fact that I have to get naked in front of…you know…"

Schue put his hands on the other man's shoulders and directed him towards the backstage. "Don't worry, you'll get used very fast. I'll show where you guys change between performances."

They walked across the room while various people were prepping the hall and bartenders were checking if all the alcoholic bottles were full and in their right place.

They moved a black curtain and kept walking across a small hallway. Will pointed at a door at the end of it and said "The guys are there. You will be their shadow. You see how they move, how they act with the clients, what they do and whatsoever. Gotcha? I am not your baby-sitter so stay out of my way. However, for any kind of emergency, I usually stay next to the DJ's station. See you at the end of the night".

Finn thumbed up and went into the guys' dressing room. The room was small and filled of props and had a restroom; Blaine, Artie and Mike were getting ready, covering themselves with what it seemed body-oil, while Puck was laughing at Sam, who was fixing a thong with the help of a sewing machine.

"Hi guys!" said Finn, waving his hand. He looked at Sam and asked "What happened to you?". The blonde had big horn-rimmed glasses perched on his nose and a bandana around his head to keep his hair out of the way.

"This is my sewing attire!" answered Sam confidently. At that, Puck laughed out loud.

"Dude, you look like a fucking moron!". He couldn't stop laughing. His roommate was ridiculous like that.

"Finn, we have to find you a stripper name!" said Mike, laughing. "Let me introduce you to the boys".

"Ehm, Mike, I had already met you all". Poor Finn was very confused.

"No, my friend. You met Artie, Blaine, Puck, Sam and Mike; not Blue Thunder", said the Asian pointing Artie, who simply smiled, "White Chocolate", Sam didn't notice the introduction because he was fighting against the sewing machine which wasn't working properly, "Ken," at his cue, Blaine waved with very stiff movements as if he was a doll, "The Puckerone", Puck saluted the newbie, "And last but not least, the best of them all, Magic Mike" ended Mike with a bow. "But now the question is, what will your name be?" questioned the Asian, scratching his chin.

"What about 'The Kid'? Schue already calls him like that and, if I'm not wrong, you're one of the youngest in here" suggested Puckerman. The others nodded in agreement while Finn looked at his new friends in disbelief. "I'm the youngest?! I thought we had the same age!" squealed the tall man.

"Aren't you 22?" asked Puck; Finn simply nodded. "So you and Blaine are the kids of the group, he's 22 too. Mike is the oldest with 26 while Artie is 24. Me and Martha Stewart here are 25. Do you feel better now that you know that, Finnocence?". The newbie just shrugged his shoulders. And then the guys continued to bicker jokingly.

At one point, Will entered the room and said "Okay guys, the club opens in 5. Get ready".

"Nonononononono! No!" panicked Sam "I didn't finish fixing the thong yet! This. Is. A. Disaster!" said the blonde, with terror in his eyes. His colleagues looked at their friend funny until Puck took the situation in his own hands and said bluntly. "Really, Samantha? Really? You're freaking out about that? Dude, flash news: those chicks will even notice anyway. So calm the fuck down". And with that peace was restored.

Then Puck looked into Finn's eyes and said "Man, let's leave the chicks get ready. I'll show you around".

Finn followed his friend out of the room and asked "Don't you have to get ready too? Don't you perform tonight?"

" Not yet. The first performances will be ones of Artie and then Blaine. Then there's a break and then other performances. I'm in the second lot, tonight". They entered in the hall where some clients were already seated and ready to enjoy the exotic show. The two men went straight to the bar and Puck ordered to the barman "Yo, Nick, two beers thanks!". The barman nodded while the other two seated themselves on the stools.

The beers arrived and then they turned so they could see the grand hall. Puck spoke. "So, this is how it works. You do your show, you let them touch you and then you get the fuck down of the stage. We never get fully naked and, if any of the clients get too frisky, Karofsky and Azimio will take care of it" said Noah, pointing at the two bodyguards dressed in black, and continued "Schue will take the cash that's on stage and, at the end of the night, we split it between us. Got it?"

At that point, Finn nodded. Then he took a look around the room and noticed Schue talking to a creepy guy with a sort of afro in his head. The tall man poked Puck and asked "Who's the man that's talking with Schue?".

Puckerman searched around the room and then grimaced when he saw the man. "That's the DJ. Jacob Ben-Israel, or Jew-Fro as I call him. He works here from a couple of years. Before he got the job, he was in jail for stalking and attempted rape, or something like that. I don't like him. He gives me the creeps."

They continued to talking about other aspects of the job. "So, what do you guys do when you don't strip? You stay in the dressing room?" said Finn curiously.

Noah shook his head and put down his beer, licking his lips. "Usually we come back here and talk to the clients. You know, flirt and things like that. You have to make them drink a lot, it's good for the bar's income. What you decide to do after with them it's up to you, you can simply go home or wherever the fuck you go or you can go away with them and have some fun," explained Puck as if it was the most natural thing on earth. "I like to take advantage of my body and have some good fuck. I'm a sex god, I was born to please these ladies". Puck laughed out loud at his own statement and at Finn's reaction: he chocked on his beer.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed and the crowd started to holler and scream in excitement.

A spotlight was focus on Schue, who was now on stage alone.

"Good evening ladies and welcome to New Directions", Will winked and the women swooned at the sight. "Unfortunately, I'm here to tell you the rules of the house. What you can and cannot touch. Can you touch this? Can you touch this?" said the owner passing his hands across his torso teasingly. The women's screams grew louder "No, no, no, no!" said the man, smirking. He turned around, giving the back at the audience and looking over his shoulders. "Second, can you touch this? Can you touch this?" he said slapping his ass. This action was met by catcalls and horny whistles. "No, no, no, no!" And returning to face the crowd he added "The law says that you can't touch!". The women booed and Will looked around the room with a smirk on his face. "But I think I see a lot of lawbreakers in this house…and I don't see a cop in sight!". The crowd's screams boomed in the club.

He walked at the end of the stage while saying "And now the first performance of the night. Please give it up for Blue Thunder" and then hopped down the stage.

Finn looked at the stage and saw the curtain open. The song "Save a horse, ride a cowboy" started and Artie and Mike came in sight dressed like two cowboys, riding two horse-shaped props. They pretended to have a duel and Mike fell from the stage defeat. Artie took the centre of the stage and took off his leather vest, throwing it at the crowd. He then grabbed his crotch and shook it, indicating the ladies that now were standing and were trying to touch the stripper. They were nuts for Artie and they immediately started to throw money at him.

Finn was speechless. Puck saw the look in his friend's face and said "Don't worry, dude. You'll get used to it."

Finn said to Puckerman "Puck, I can't dance like that. I can't dance at all. One time I broke my sister's nose while I was dancing". He stared at Noah's eyes and seriously said "Did you look at them? They are wild beasts! They will rip my head off as soon as they realize that I can't move". Puck smirked "Do you want to know a secret?". Finn nodded. "They don't give a shit if you can dance or not. They just want your body! You could even stand there and just take your clothes off and they will go insane. Chill out, dude".

Puck throw a glance on the stage where Artie was dragging on stage one of the ladies after he grabbed her with the lasso and then he perched her on his pelvis.

Noah said to Finn "Come on, let's continue your guided tour of the club.".

* * *

Finn entered his apartment and noticed that the floor lamp in the living room was still on.

He closed the door, locking it with the key, and went in the room for turning it off but was greeted by the sight of his sister asleep on the couch.

He softly smiled down at her and he shook her with delicacy.

"Rach, Rachie. Wake up. Go to bed" he softly said. Rachel rubbed her sleepy eyes and said to her brother "I wanted to be up for when you would have come back". She yawned and sat on the couch, and patted the spot next to her for her brother to sit.

"Rachel, it's late. You have lesson in a few hours" he voiced his concerns "You'll be exhausted if you don't go to sleep now."

Rachel shook her head and said "I want to know how it went first. What do you think about it?"

The brother sighed in defeat and sat down next to her. "It was… intense, I supposed. I-I mean, it's so not me… but it's okay. Everyone said that I'll get used to it so it's going to be okay." The short woman grabbed his brother's face in her hands and looked right into his eyes while saying "Finn, if you're not comfortable with the job, quit it! I don't want you to do something that goes against what you are. We'll manage like we have always had!".

"No, Rachie. I'm going to do this. Let's see it as a new experience, okay?" His sister nodded. "Good girl. Now to bed, sleepyhead. Lunch together?".

Rachel smiled at him and answered "As usual. Good night, big brother."

"Good night, sis".

* * *

**So, what did you guys think about it?:) Let me know! I love reading your reviews!**

**See you with the next chapter...I think you know what will happen!;) XOXO **

**P.S.: for the American readers: Hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving!:D**


	4. So we meet Again

**Hello everyone!:) **

**Thank you so much for your reviews and for favouring and following my story! You're all so kind and deserves a cyber-cookie from me! I'll leave you to the new chapter of "Welcome to New Directions!" and i hope you all enjoy it!**

**P.S.: Did you hear Homeward Bound/Home? Who swooned as soon as Mark Salling sang his part? *raises both of her hands***

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee and Magic Mike...*cries in a dark corner***

* * *

Rachel entered the apartment dragging her feet. Today was hell at the diner and her co-worker called in sick and the brunette had to doubled her work. But finally she was at home and she could enjoy a nice evening alone with a Friends marathon in pyjama pants, while drinking hot tea.

It was Friday and Finn was at work. It was two weeks since he first started his work experience at New Directions and he seemed to get accustomed at the idea that he'll have to take his clothes off in front of hundreds of women. He had worked out every single day with two of his co-workers, followed a strict diet and had started dance class with another one of the strippers (God have mercy of this poor soul. She knew how terrible Finn was at dancing. She had a broken nose to prove it!) and that did wonders for his self-esteem.

Rachel went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. She got changed in her pyjama and started to fix her dinner. She moved to grab the cookware when a small black item on the kitchen counter caught her attention. Finn had left his wallet at home. And, in it, there were all his documents and money. She groaned. She couldn't let Finn stay without it: what if he needed his ID or money to grab a taxi to come back home later?

So, she set her mind. She's going to the club to bring the wallet to her brother.

She checked the clock. It was 8.30 pm and the club wouldn't open for another 2 hours and a half so, if she was quick, she would manage to get to the club in time and get out of it before they opened the doors to the public.

She ran to her bedroom and put on a pair of dark blue jeans and a white long-sleeved wool jersey. With her black ballet flats, bright red coat and white beanie on, she grabbed her bag and the wallet and went out her apartment.

* * *

The taxi dropped her in front of the club.

The neon sign was still off and a runway surrounded by velvet fence led to the door. She crossed the distance between her and the door and then she pulled it. In the inside, various people were working frantically and she tried to spot Finn among them. She had no luck so she went to the bar to ask where she could find her brother. But as soon as she lean on the counter to get the attention of one of the bartenders, she heard a deep voice behind her.

"Doll, the club doesn't open for another two hours". She turned abruptly and brown eyes met hazel ones.

He was one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen in her life. His eyes were hazel but with the neon light that came from the bar, they were almost green. His jaw was strong and masculine and the lips full and dark pink. They seemed really soft. And even if she found his haircut ridiculous, she had to admit that it seemed to suited him perfectly.

She shook out of the haze that the sight of the man put her into and said "I'm not here for the show. I'm looking for someone."

"Oh yeah?" he raised one eyebrow and get closer with a smirk on his face. "Are you looking for me? Because we could have really fun together…". She was shocked by the assumption and was about to give the man a piece of her mind when a familiar voice called out for her.

"Rachel? What are you doing here?" said a very confused Finn.

Puck suddenly put more space between himself and the woman and looked at Finn in disbelief. "Dude, this is your sister?" God, his friend's sister was hot as fuck! With long, shiny brown hair and big doe eyes. Shiny, plump lips that he can't wait to test and long eyelashes. Her nose was a little big but she definitely rocked it. He couldn't see her legs but he had high expectations, see how hot she was.

"Yes, I am. I was about to informed you about that but you assaulted me before I could do that" the short brunette answered at Puck's question. And then, addressing to Finn, said "You left your wallet at home! I didn't know if you needed it so I brought that to you." Rachel gave the item to him. "Now I'll come back home and I'll leave you two to…" She was stopped by her brother. "No, wait! I'll introduce you to the others!" he started to drag her toward the black curtain but then he stopped as he thought about it. "You know what? Just wait here, I'll call them!" And with that, Finn disappeared behind the curtain.

Rachel and Puck looked into each others eyes. She was the first to talk. "So, I guess, introductions are in order. I'm Rachel Berry, Finn's sister – as you already know – and…you are…?". He took her stretched hand and shook it "I'm Puck" he simply said. He thought that her surname suited her perfectly…and he couldn't wait to eat that berry!

"Puck? Your parents definitely must be Shakespeare's fan for naming you after one of his most popular characters!" smiled sincerely Rachel.

Puckerman shook his head and smirked "No, the name is Noah Puckerman but everybody calls me Puck".

"And why is that?" asked Rachel curiously. "Noah is a beautiful Jewish name and you should be very proud of your roots." She then touched lightly her nose "I know I'm very proud of mine" said smiling.

His eyes went big. "You Jewish too?". The short brunette nodded happily "I didn't realize Hudson was a Jew-bro…" continued Puck even more confused.

Rachel laughed out loud. "Oh, no, no, no! Finn is definitely a _gentile_! But let's just say that he tries his hardest and it's greatly appreciated among my large family."

And for the first time in months, a real smile featured Noah's face. Her smile was so warm and the way she tried to hide it with her hands made her totally adorable. He felt his sexy-beast armour slowly melting with her in front of him.

"Wait, why did you suppose that I was Jewish?" he asked, staring at her in the eyes. She simply said "Come on! Your name is as Jewish as you can get!"

He licked his lips, scratched the back of his head and was about to speak again but Finn chose just that moment to enter the room, the other guys in tow.

"Rachie" said Finn to her sister, who she was still chuckling, "these are Blaine, Artie, Sam and Mike; guys this is my sister Rachel".

She shook their hands. "It's a pleasure meeting you. Finn said amazing things about you all" said the woman to the men. "Please, look after him and take good care of my brother." She gave a sweet smile to all five men. "Now I'll leave you to the preparation of the show. Finn, I'll see you at home. It was really nice meeting you guys, I hope to see you soon".

"Why don't you stay for the show?" asked Puck with a smirk.

"Dude!" murmured harshly Finn. "No, Noah, I'm not going to stay for the show but _a dank _ for the invitation." They looked into each others' eyes and smiled. "_Nishto farvos_" he winked. Her laugh trilled in the room and, with a last wave, she was out.

Noah's gaze was still focus on the door where Rachel just disappeared while the other men exchanged glances.

"What the heck was that about?" asked Blaine, speaking for all the other ones. Well, except for Finn and Puck, who answered at the same time "It was Yiddish".

Puck looked at his tall friend and wondered "You understood what we just said?"

Finn laughed. "Of course, I lived with a Jewish family and they talked in Yiddish every now and then. Not to talk about Rachel's _bubbe_, who basically just speaks in Yiddish_._ It was learn the language or suffer the isolation in every family reunion".

"Anyway" Blaine regained the guys' attention "I was not talking about the Yiddish but about the Noah thing!" and the other four nodded. Puck rolled his eyes, his friends were a bunch of gossips.

"So what? It's my name, isn't it?" shrugged the mohawked man.

"It's his name, he said." Mike looked at him in disbelief. "Last time I called you Noah, you punched me in my stomach!"

"Last time you called me that you weren't as hot as her. Did you see her?" explained Puckerman, pointing at the door. Finn groaned. "Dude, I'm still here," complained the tall man "don't talk shit about my sister!". At his friend's reaction, Puck laughed. "Man, I'm just telling the truth. You're sister is a fine piece of Jewish ass! You should be proud of that!". Finn covered his face with his hands and started to walking away, grumbling under his breath.

The other men followed him, leaving just Sam who was staring at his best friend with a questioning smile on his face. "Puck, she looks like a good girl. She seems like one that calls you on your shit. Totally out of your league! And let's just don't tell your mom that you met a nice Jewish girl or she'll book the temple for a spring wedding." Puck glared to the blonde, who started to laugh hysterically.

"Trouty Mouth, shit's not funny! And then who says I want more than a good fuck with her? I'm not one-girl-only type of man. I'm a sex shark. Now let's go, tonight the Puckerone will show some of his best moves". And with that the topic was forgotten.

But his words came in his mind back again later that night, when he was lying in his bed and all he could see when he closed his eyes was another set of eyes, big brown doe eyes.

* * *

It was raining cats and dogs and it seemed like it wasn't going to end anytime soon. He was soaking wet, walking on the sidewalk with his guitar case strapped steadily on his shoulder. He noticed a little diner just across the street so he decided it was a good idea to go inside and wait for the rain to calm down a bit.

As he walked in, the bell over the door ringed and he took a few seconds to watch the new environment. The walls were white, full of bright-coloured pictures of the City, and several booths with red seats surrounded the local. He thought that he never saw such a clean diner before.

A woman with red hair in her thirties greeted him with a big smile. "Good afternoon and welcome to Emma's diner. Please, take a seat. The waitress will be there shortly". He nodded and took a seat in the furthest booth, leaning carefully the guitar case next to him. He was about to take his coat off when a voice spoke and he froze on the spot.

"Well, hello there stranger! So we meet again." It was the same voice that hunted his dreams for the last week and a half; the only different thing was that, in his dreams, the voice, instead of 'stranger', called him 'Noah'.

He raised his head and those big brown eyes were staring at him. "Rachel? You work here?" asked a little bit shocked. Rachel nodded and said "Yes, I do. How are you Noah?", a warm smile appeared on her face. "I'm good. Soaked, but good". The woman looked out of the window and sighed "Today the weather is dreadful. Do you want something to warm you up? Coffee? Hot tea, maybe?". The answer that immediately came up in his head was 'you' but he bit his tongue and said instead "Coffee would be great". She nodded and the ponytail she was rocking that day bounced happily.

Shortly after, here she was, pouring the hot beverage in his mug. As soon as she finished, he looked at her and said with a grid "Care to join me? It sucks to drink coffee by themselves". She looked down at him and bit her lower lip (he groaned silently. She will be the death of him.). Then she looked at the clock and said "Actually my break starts in 10 minutes but I don't think it will be a problem if, for once, I'll make it start a little earlier. Let me just check with the owner and I'll be right back".

Puck totally checked her out while she was walking away. Yep, Rachel had got some killer legs and her ass looked amazing in those skinny jeans.

She came back after few minutes with a mug in one hand and two plates with a slice of pie in each perched on the other arm. She carefully put down the cup and then put one plate in front of him. "This is on the house" said the woman, sitting right in front of him. He murmured a 'Thank you' and started to dig to the pie.

She started to talk after gulping her first morsel. "So, if I can ask, why aren't you at the gym? I thought that you, Sam and Finn were 'gym buddies'." She air-quoted the last part, making Noah laugh. "I'm busy on Mondays" he simply said. Rachel was very curious but she didn't want to look like a nosy woman and so she simply nodded. He looked at her in the eyes with a small smile and said "I give guitar lessons for the kids of the JCC". And with that he patted softly the guitar case.

Rachel's eyes grew bigger. She didn't even notice the case! (Probably because she was too enraptured by the way that shirt hugged every part of his torso).

"I didn't know you play guitar! Finn didn't say anything about it!" she said excitedly. She loved music, it was her biggest passion.

"Well" Puck scratched the back of his neck "let's just say that not many people know that I can play. But the guys at the club know and Sam and I play together sometimes, since he brought here his old acoustic. I guess it just hasn't come up with Finn yet".

"Are you any good?" asked sincerely Rachel.

He leaned on his elbows and got a little closer to the brown-eyed woman and said with a low voice "Oh, I'm good in many things. Want you find out?" he raised his eyebrow suggestively.

"Not interested" 'LIAR. LIAR.' her own voice yelled in her head "I'm just curious about your ability as guitarist." she said, trying to hide to him how her cheeks flushed even if, if the grid on his face was of any evidence, he already did.

"You see, Berry," Rachel frowned when he called her by her surname "playing the guitar is like touching a woman. You have to be gentle, pull the right strings and she will make the sweetest sounds. So, yes, I'm definitely a good guitarist".

At that the petite brunette laughed out loud. "Cocky much?" managed to say between the laughter.

"Sorry I just understood the first four words. You were saying?"

"Noah!" chastised Rachel "Stop it! There are kids in here!". Than her gaze soften a little "But seriously, when did you start to play the guitar?"

"I was 7 years old. My dad taught me how to play the first chords of 'Wish you where here' and I just kept learning from there. It was the only thing that kept me sane during my teen years. I never liked go to school that much…always preferred take a nap on the nurse's office or have fun with a cheerleader in the janitor's closet" explained Puck with a smirk and then continued "But when I felt the string of my guitar under my fingertips nothing else mattered." He looked at her right into her eyes. "Finn said you're studying at NYADA, so you can totally understand what I'm saying, right?"

"Oh, I totally understand even if I don't play any instrument. I just manage to play some chords with the piano and they're pretty awful, if I can say myself!" That statement brought laughter from the two persons around the table. "But I sing, and when I sing…it's like you said, nothing else mattered."

Puck took a sip of his coffee before asking "So, what you're doing in that fancy school of yours?"

"I'm majoring in Musical Theatre. One day I'll be on Broadway". Her smile was so contagious that Puck could help himself and a smile appeared on his face too. "Well, well, well, who's the cocky one now?"

Rachel laughed but kept talking "I'm bound to that kind of stage. I won my first competition when I was three months old. I take dance, vocal and acting class since the age of 5. In high school, I was Maria in West Side Story and Janet in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, even if this one was never really staged in front of a paying public. In my senior year, me and the Glee Club won the title of National Show Choir champions and I got into NYADA, where only 500 new students were accepted national wide" Her eyes shone with excitement "This is why I'm so confident. I have to get there. It's written in the stars!" The woman noticed Noah's blank expression. "Sorry, did I talk to much? I tend to do that all the times. My best friend always says…" Noah stopped her by saying "No, not at all. It's just nice to see how passionate you are about your dream. You're a fighter, I can tell".

Rachel smiled coyly and said "I have to".

"Rachel" a stranger voice captured their attention. A blonde woman about Rachel's age was smiling at the other one and said "Sorry if I interrupted you but your break is over".

"Oh, sure!" Rachel started to take her mug and plate and got up. "Sorry, Quinn, I guess I didn't realize how the time flew by. I'll be right back just…". It was all it took for Quinn to take the hint. The other waitress nodded, shot a smile to Puck and walked to the counter.

Rachel didn't want this meeting to end. Talking to Noah was easy and she liked that every now and then, when he was speaking of something that really mattered to him, you could see the real him and not the façade that he kept on.

"Well," she sighed "guess I really have to go. But it was very nice to talk to you, Noah." She smiled at him while he got up too.

"Yeah, it was nice" said Puck, who was putting his coat back on. He than grabbed his wallet and opened it. "How much was it?"

The woman shook her head. "I told you it was on the house. Don't worry."

So he asked "You sure?" she nodded. "Ok. For this time I'll accept it but next time it's on me". They locked eyes for what it seemed an eternity but then he broke the spell, when he took his guitar case up and strapped it on his shoulder.

Then, with a mischievous smirk, "You should come to the club one day". Rachel's mouth became a thin line and said "Goodbye Noah!", turning on his heels and marching to the counter. She could hear his laugh loud and clear.

He was about to go out the diner when he looked at her and simply said "See you soon, Rach", with a small smile and the only thing she was able to do was smiling back and waving at him.

When he was out of sight, Rachel felt a presence next to her.

"So…" trailed Quinn "who was that beefcake? Must say: good catch, Rach!" Quinn's laugh trilled in the diner.

"Lower your voice, nosey Rosie!" The brunette hissed. "He's just one of my brother's colleague. His name is Noah Puckerman and I didn't catch anyone!" Quinn looked at her friend with challenge in her eyes. "Oh, really? So I just saw you bat your long eyelashes and use your charm for kindness' sake? Rach, please! You've got a crush as big as Canada for the man and I say that you should totally go for it! The man could put Adonis to shame. The two of you would be definitely a hot couple". Then realization hit her. "Wait. You said he's one of your brother's colleague." Quinn went closer to Rachel and grabbed her by her arm "Is he a stripper?!" (Yes. Quinn knows too. She, along with Kurt – Rachel's dear friend and soon-too-be NYADA graduate like the petite brunette – often went out with her, Santana and Brittany and, one night, the Latina spilled the bean about Finn's job. So much for the secrecy, uh?).

"Yes, Q, Noah is a stripper indeed". The blonde's mouth's shape was a perfect O. But the she shrugged it off and said good-heartedly "Anyway, you should totally do something about it. Does Santana know about this 'friendship'?" Quinn asked. Rachel looked at her friend in disbelief and she answered slowly, as if she was speaking with a two-year-old "No, because there's nothing to talk about. I saw the man just twice in my life and today it was the first time we had an actual conversation. And I won't see him for who knows how much time! So, nothing to talk to talk about. Nothing. Ok?"

The blonde waitress raised her hands in surrender and muttered "Fine. Fine. Nothing to talk about." And opened the door, entering in the kitchen and leaving the petite brunette by herself. She really felt that she wouldn't see him anytime soon.

* * *

She was proven wrong the week later, and the one after that and the ones following when every Monday, at 4.25 pm (just in time for her break), Noah, always with his guitar in tow, would entered the diner and drank a cup of coffee with a slice of pie with her.

They would talk about everything: from the songs that he was trying to teach to the kids to her classes at NYADA; from who are her closest friends, to the latest Sam's kitchen adventure (let's just say that involved a burnt fried pan and lots of sauce that ended up on the walls). However, they also talked about more intimate topics such as his deatbeat father who took off when he was only 7 or how her mother looked for her when she was 16 and then rejected her because she wasn't a baby anymore.

She didn't realise it but Monday became quickly her favourite day and it was because of Noah Puckerman.

Puck was shocked when he noticed that he couldn't wait for Monday afternoon to come. He couldn't wait to talk to a stunning brunette with brown eyes and long-as-fuck legs. But the thing that surprised him the most was that the more he got to know her, the more he liked her and this was wrong!

First of all, she was one of his friends' sister and it was totally against the bro code and second, he was a stripper and she was a future Broadway star. They were like water and fire, two completely different things. He tried to forget any kind of feelings he might have for her by having sex with some clients but it was hardest for him to pick up a hot woman: they were never small enough, or too blond, or their legs weren't long as he liked. And, every time he was about to come, it was never their name on his lips, but the one of a woman that, as Sam put it the first time the first time they saw each other, was definitely out of her league. He even thought about not going back to the diner but the thought lasted just a couple of minutes, because he knew that she was happy to see him since, every time she would spot him, she would flash him a huge happy smile; and see that smile on that face and know to be the reason behind it? Fucking. Epic.

So he decided to just go with the flow and enjoy this new "friendship". Even if it was weird because he never had a friend who was a girl that hot. Screw that! He never had a friend who was a girl. Period.

One day, right before leaving, Puck said to her "Next Monday I don't have class at the JCC. The kids will go to Central Park" and Rachel's smile felt just slightly but, being the good actress that she was, she immediately regained her composure and said "Well, then see you soon and take care of you, Noah". His eyes were studying her face but then he simply replied wit a simply "You too, Rach; you too".

Now let's just say that Rachel's weekend simply sucked and even going window-shopping with Kurt wasn't able to take her mind off the fact that she wouldn't see Noah the next Monday. She looked like someone who had her puppy kicked but when someone else pointed that out she had to come up with several excuses (the most effective was: "I'm PMSing! Now leave me alone!").

The dreaded Monday arrived and it seemed to be the slowest day known to mankind. She was about to take her break when the bell on the door ringed, signalling a new client. But as soon as she raised her head to greet the new customer, Rachel saw him, smirking at her and without his guitar case.

"Noah!" said Rachel surprised. "What are you doing here? I thought you said that you wouldn't come today!"

Puck put his hands in his pockets and told her "That's not exactly true. I just said I didn't have guitar class today, not that I wouldn't come here" and then he gave her one real smile. His smiles were beautiful, in Rachel opinion; she really thought that he should smile more often. And then he added "I like talking and spending time with you. I really like it". At his statement, her heart started to dance the rumba on her chest. He liked to come to the diner and talk with her. He liked to talk with her! She tried her hardest to hold a huge smile back. She poured two mugs of coffee and nodded her head to one of the free booths.

"So, shall we?" said with a smile.

* * *

**They met!They finally met!:D So what do you think about this chapter? Let me know by writing a review! They would bring light in these rainy italian days!:)**

**Thank you for reading this chapter and see you soon for a brand new one!**

**_A dank_****: thank you**

**_Nishto farvos: _****you're welcome**


	5. Girls' Night Out

**Hello! Happy 1st of December!:) **

**As usual, I want to thank everyone who followed and faved my story. But my biggest thank you goes to TommyH, donna14 and ksp2010 for reviewing my story. You have no idea how you guys made me happy!**

**Now I'll leave you with the fifth chapter of 'Welcome to New Directions!". Hope you have** **fun. **

* * *

How on earth she ended up in the backseat of a cab, headed to New Directions, she had no idea. All she knew was that it was all Santana's fault.

All. Santana's. Fault.

That night they were supposed to meet Quinn and Kurt in a new club downtown, dance the night away and have some deserved fun after a few quite hectic months, or so her best friend told her. Santana went to Rachel's apartment and they got ready together; Rachel wore a tight short black dress and her favourite ankle boots and her hair fell freely in long floating locks while Santana wore a red dress with a sweetheart cut, which emphasized her breast (of which Santana was very proud …with all the money she invested in them!) perfectly, and her hair was tied so that they were falling on one side of her neck. According to Santana, they were the "most fucking hot babes in the whole City".

Wrapped in their thick winter coats, they set foot on the street and they took a cab.

As soon as they got in, Santana rushed at the door on Rachel's side and lock it. The short brunette looked at her like she was out of her mind. She put the pieces together only when Santana told the driver to go at the New Direction. The Latina smirked at her friend and said to her "I told you we were going to go there. Tonight's the night!", receiving in return a clutch bag right in the face that took her completely by surprise. "You crazy?" said the voluptuous brunette with eyes full of astonishment.

"You deserve a lot more of that!" and, with that, she started to hit the other one with the small bag over and over again. "I told you that I didn't want to go! I told you! But you did what you always do: you didn't consider what I want and you just kept going with your plan. I would have never done something like this to you. NEVER!"

"God, Rach! You're such a pain in the ass!". Santana knew that she said the wrong thing the moment she take a good look at her best friend's face and saw hurt all over the place.

"You know what, Santana? This pain in the ass is done talking to you." And with that she crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked out of the window. Santana stared at her friend and said "You can't be serious, right now!". Her statement was met by silence. Yep. She was dead serious. So, the Latina just sighed; it was going to be a long, long night.

As the taxi pulled over, Rachel opened the door and started to walk in the opposite direction from the club. She managed to walked for a couple of meters when she was stopped by Santana, who was standing right in front of her and grabbed both her arms, saying "We're going in, Berry, so you better be cooperative". Rachel didn't talk and even when her alleged best friend tried to push her towards the club she didn't move, years and years of dance gave her a quite muscular body.

So Santana sighed "Rachel, look at me", the brown eyes met the black ones of the Latina. "I'm sorry, okay?". The short brunette diverted her gaze from her friend, but the tall woman grabbed her chin and gently turned Rachel's face so she was looking at her again. "Rach, I really am. But I just want you to enjoy your life! You can't do the same things all the fucking time. You're wasting your youth and I won't let you. I love you too much to let you do that. So, tonight, we're going to the strip-club. If you don't want to look, then don't look but just…please?" Rachel still didn't utter a word, but she turned on her heels and slowly walking towards the club. Santana caught up with her and they kept on walking silently. The silence's treatment was killing the tall woman. "Still no talking to me?" she asked. Silence. Just silence.

The first time Rachel talked again wasn't meant for the Latina but for the bouncer at the door.

"Ladies, there's a line. Please" he said, before letting them speak. "I'm Finn Hudson's sister. Can we come in?" asked Rachel gently. The bouncer took a good look at the brunette and said "You really his sister?". She nodded. "So why are you here? Isn't it weird come and watch a show where your brother takes off his clothes?". At that statement, the short woman looked pointedly at Santana and said "Oh, believe me, I know…". The Latina huffed and said raising her voice "I said I'm sorry, Rach!".

The bouncer laughed at the two and opened the door. "Good luck" he said to Rachel, winking at her, and she answered "Thank you very much. I'll need it".

Rachel marched into the big hall, focusing on the research for the furthest table available and keeping her eyes away from the stage, where she supposed one of the guys was doing his performance since the women in the club were yelling like cats in heat. She found a free booth and she sat down.

A few seconds after, Santana took her place in front of her and looked around. "Well, I thought it was way worst than this!" she said while taking off his coat. In the meantime, Rachel was staring at the table as if it was the most interesting thing in the whole world.

A waiter in just black pants and a bowtie came to their booth and asked what they wanted to order. Santana ordered a Martini while Rachel asked for a soft drink; she has to stay sober in case she had to find the quickest escape routes from that place.

The music ended and a voice took its place. She barely heard what the man was saying but he had her full attention once he introduced 'The Puckerone'. Noah was about to do his performance.

The music started and the other women started to holler. She looked around with annoyance, do they know that he's more than just a body?

Her eyes came back to the stage just in time to see the curtains open and Noah appeared, with a hooded sweatshirt and black sweat pants. He stood with his legs at shoulders' length and his hand behind his back. At his cue, he stepped forward, unzipping the sweatshirt and taking it off in time with the music. A white wife-beater hugged his torso nicely and in his head there was a red cap. When the song's lyrics started, he thrust his hips in time and pointed at some women in the first raw of tables. He turned on himself and ended on the edge of the stage on his knees, passing teasingly his hands down his torso until they ended on the floor. He, then, moved on his knees doing some pelvic trusts in time with the music.

"Oh. God. Did they turn the heat on?" thought Rachel. She tried to be as emotionless as she could be but Noah made it an impossible task for her.

To get back on his feet, he did a back flip and with a quick movement he took off the wife-beater, keeping it in his hands. With a jump, he landed on his hands and slowly descending until, first his upper body and than the rest of it, touched the stage and, thanks to a slide, he ended up sitting on the 3 steps that divided the main stage from a peninsula, where eager women were waiting with cash in their hands. To helping him standing, he did some more pelvic trusts with a wicked smile in his face and did some more hip hop moves. He put his wife-beater inside his pants and, after a few beats, he threw it at the adoring women, just before turning around and jumping off the peninsula with a back flip. He was really athletic, Rachel must admit that. He went straight to one of the customers, who was seated on a chair, and put her legs on his shoulders, bringing her up with the chair just to make the item fall in a matter of seconds. He made the woman lie on the stage and moved his face next to her belly while his hips were trusting lasciviously.

Rachel felt an unsettling feeling at the pit of her stomach. She couldn't stand the sight of him with this other woman and had to clenched her fist very tightly.

He got up and, grinning, started to take off his shoes only to turn with his back to his audience and slowly lower his pants, showing black tight boxer shorts which hugged his backside perfectly.

At that, her mouth fell open and her mind went blank. The only thing that she remembered were money flying at him and feminine catcalls.

"Berry, you're drooling". Santana's voice took her back from her haze. The petite brunette passed her hand next to his mouth instinctively and didn't feel anything wet. She open her mouth, to tell her that she wasn't funny, when she remembered: she was still made at the woman. So she closed her mouth with a quick move and looked at her with angry eyes.

"Still with the silence's treatment, I see…" Santana trailed. The Latina looked at her friend while she couldn't keep her eyes off the stripper and she realized 'The Puckerone' (stupid name is you ask her!) was Noah Puckerman, the man that every Monday would go to the diner just to be with Rachel (according to the weekly Quinn-bulletin) and for whom her best friend was raging a major lady boner on. But she had to admit that the man was hot as fuck, no wonders Rachel liked him. She always had good taste about man (at least for what concerned their looks…the problems were their personalities that sucked big time!).

Rachel was sipping at her soft drink and taking in the environment when she felt a presence sitting right next to her. She abruptly turned around and was met by a very shirtless Puck.

"Finally you follow my advise, Rach" he said with a smirk.

"Well, hello to you too Noah. How are you?" she said with a flat voice. The basic politeness norms were lost in him. Noah rolled his eyes and smile sincerely at here "I'm fine, B. So you finally decided to come…" but he was stopped by the petite brunette. "I didn't decide to come here. I was forced by someone!" and she glared at her best friend.

Puck laughed out loud and talked for the first time to Santana "Definitely have to thank you for bringing her here! Name?" As soon as he stopped talking and just before the Latina was able to answer, Rachel elbowed puck and hissed "Traitor! We don't like her. She's mean!". This drew a laugh out of both listeners so she huffed and turned around, giving him her back: he was fraternized with the enemy and so didn't deserve her attention.

"Name's Santana, I'm Rach's best friend". She was interrupted by Rachel's mumble "Well, that's going to change for sure…" and then the petite woman decided to not listening to them by focusing on the rest of the people in the room.

Suddenly she felt herself be dragged backwards by a strong muscular arm and she kept going until she hit his side with her back. It was the first time that they were so close and she felt goosebumps appear on her arms. His mouth got closer to her ear and he nuzzled his nose in her hair before saying "You done being a baby?". She stiffed at the assumption that she was acting childishly (which she was but they totally deserved it) and tried to free herself from the embrace but he kept her in it easily.

"I'll have you know that my acting is a mere consequence to the mean and unsympathetic behaviour that the two of you are showing towards me!" stated her.

While she was talking, she didn't realise that Schue presented another stripper. She glanced at the stage and in a couple of seconds the stage was covered in fog, and Mike's silhouette appeared. He had a black cap, a sort of bulletproof vest and black pants and his left arm was grabbing a handle above his head, making him turn around so quick that he took his feet off the ground. It was like he was flying.

She could hear Noah and Santana talking in the background, but she was totally enthralled by the way Mike moved. His performance was perfect: the moves were clean and every slide was made with professional precision. It was spectacular to watch; the only other person that she knew could be at his level was Santana's girlfriend, Brittany. And she was so immerse in his moves that she didn't even realize that he started to take off his clothes.

Puck tried to call her but he noticed that she was staring at Mike with shiny eyes. "Are you crushing on Chang, Berry?". The only answer that Rachel gave him was a "Shush!", she didn't want to miss one move.

Puck was stunned. He looked at Santana and asked again "Is she crushing on Mike?". Santana laughed and shrugged "Well, he's definitely hot as hell so she'd have my blessing". He could feel the anger rise, and felt the sudden necessity to break something. His arm slid away from the brunette and he crossed his arms on the table, much for Santana's amusement.

These two were to obvious for their own sake and the Latina thought that SHE would have died for the sexual tension between the two. The way he licked his lips every time he watched at her and the way her best friend smiled lightly when his arm wouldn't let go of her made the hot Latina decide that she would make Puckleberry happened, no matter what.

Rachel came back from her haze, once Mike's number ended. "Mike is a great dancer!" she announced in disbelief. "The way his movements are in perfect sync with the rhythm and the way he pop'n'locked was really remarkable. The way he did those pirouettes was flawless and…" but this time it was Santana's turn to interrupt her friend.

"Whoa, Berry! Hold the fucking phone! Hot dude just took off his clothes, ending just with a tiny little thong, and you are talking about 'remarkable moves'? You sure you're not lesbian too?" said the Latina grinning. Rachel's mouth became a thin line and started to talking to Noah in the ear.

"Oh, hell no, Rach! I'm not gonna play this game. You want to tell her something? You talk to her" but he stopped when he saw a sad pout on her face. How could she manage to be the most adorable and the sexiest thing ever at the same time?!

He sighed and said "Fine, I'll tell her". His eyes and the Latina's ones met and Santana mouthed "Whipped". He glared at her and simply told her "She said that you're a bitch and you should fuck off".

She slapped his arm and said "I did not said that!". "Rach, I just sum up what you said with way less words" the man said back, grabbing her drink and taking a sip. God, it was disgusting. "How the hell can you drink this shit? It's nasty!"

But, just when she was this close to chastised him for his poor choice of words, the men with the cowboy hat said that it was time for 'The Kid' and Rachel's eyes grew bigger. Finn told her his stage name so Rachel covered her ears with her hands and shut her eyes tightly, leaning her head on the table. Noah started to laugh like a mad man.

From her position, she said to Puck "Please, inform me when it's over". He grabbed her wrist and, with delicacy, moved her hand away from her ear and said "Oh, come on. He's not that bad! He got better since the first time! He…" He shut up immediately when Rachel glared at him furiously. If looks could kill, he would be dead.

She returned in her previous position and waited for the end of this torture. She could feel Noah's hand on her back, gently moving in soothing circles, and started to relax under his touch.

At one point, she felt her arm been squeezed by his hand. She looked at him and he mouthed 'It's over', so she, very cautiously, opened one eye and then, when she decided that the coast was clear, the other one. She adjusted her hair and behaved as if nothing happened.

"Well, must admit that all that working out paid off! His body is smoking!...But he definitely didn't have the moves…" said Santana absent-mindedly. "I mean, he improved from high school but still can't keep a beat to save his life, which its fucking hilarious since he's a drummer! At least he didn't trip on his own feet." Puck laughed out loud and replied "I know, right? Mike is trying his damnest to make the guy moving decently. The other day I'm quite sure Chang was this close to cry like a little girl when Hudson messed up with the steps of the group number. I mean, you just have to move your hips, sway and wink. It's not rocket science!".

They didn't notice that a pissed Rachel was listening to them. "Ehi! Would you stop trash-talking about my brother? I'm sure he's trying his hardest and he should be applaud for that; it's not his fault if he isn't skilled in the dance department. I'm sure he did a very good job nonetheless!" stated the short brunette (she was one overprotective sister), only to be stopped by the Latina who said "You didn't even look at him!". After a very heated glare to her friend, she continued "And then is not just about moving your hips. Look at your and mike's numbers, for example. They were more than just that" finished Rachel.

She looked at Noah and he was looking at her with a high eyebrow and a smirk on his face "Oh, so I take you liked it", his hazel eyes were shiny lasciviously. Rachel answered (almost) sincerely "You are very athletic, Noah. I was very impressed". Puck put an arm around her shoulder and said "You were impressed by my moves or by my awesome body? Don't be shy, baby. It's natural, I know ladies love it", then he moved the other hand across his naked chest. It was really hard to her to keep looking in his eyes instead of losing herself in the magnificence that was his body, but she had to and said in a very calm tone "Watch out. Your head could swell too much and you could fly away".

Puck and Santana looked in each other eyes after Rachel's statement and, in a couple of seconds, they were bent double in laughter. When they both calm a little, the Latina said "Isn't she something?", eyeing Puck, who was watching at the petite woman and licking his lips. He simply nodded and smiled a little.

"R-R-Rachel?" a very, very, very familiar voice called their attention. A very flushed Finn was staring at Rachel in horror and hissed "What are you doing here? How long have you been here?". Then he glared at Santana and pointed at her "It's your fault. I know it's your fault! Why did you come here?"

"Why do you think it's my fault?" asked Santana, faking offence and putting one hand on her heart. Finn sat down next to her and stared at her in the eyes with a serious expression. The Latina rolled her eyes and sighed "Fine. I sort of kidnapped her but she's fine, isn't she?".

At that point, Rachel intervened "Don't worry, Finn. I'm already not talking to her and I'm deciding who to elect as my new best friend. And I shut my eyes very tightly and covered my ears when you were on stage, I didn't see anything" said very seriously. Finn passed his hands on his face and took a good look at his sister's shoulder, where Puck's hand was resting. He looked at his friends and asked "Dude, what's with the hand?". Puck just shrugged and said "It's comfy."

The foursome were immersed in an easy conversation (except when Santana tried to bring up Finn's ability as stripper) when a blonde came up to them and talked to Noah sultrily. "Hi baby. I really, really need to go on a ride on the Puckerone express; so why don't you ditch the Queen of Noseland and join me?"

April Rhodes was one of the most devoted clients of the club, mostly because she knew that, after the show, she would fuck the night away with Puck. She waited for most of the night for him to get tired of Rachel but when she understood that he wouldn't go away from her any time soon, she decided to get in action and get the man. Little did she knew that attacking the petite brunette wouldn't suit very good with the two men nor save her from the Latina's wrath. In fact, as April uttered the sentence and Rachel frowned while touching her nose, the men glared at her furiously (Puck also tightening his hold on the brown-eyed woman) and Santana, with a low voice, said slowly "The fuck did you just said?".

The blonde exploded in a drunken laugh (let's just say that she already hit the bar several times) and said "Oh, please! Let's talk about the obvious nosed pink elephant in the room. Puck, honey, you could do so much better than that thing. And sweetie" she was talking to Rachel "an advice for the next time you and your nose decide to go out: to make it look smaller, you should wear something larger…like Alaska!".

The small brunette sat there with her mouth wide open, taking in all that the blonde one threw at her, but then Santana got up red in face and went straight in front of the trashy woman.

"Now, you listen to me very carefully, Mushmellon. You and your wrinkled ass will apologise to my friend and then get the fuck away very quickly or I'll tear that fake extensions of yours from your hair one by one and then shove them down your throat". April looked at the Latina in disbelief: how does she dare talking to her like that? She looked at Puck and told him "Are you letting her treat me like that? Do something!". Noah looked at the older woman and said "Actually, I totally agree with Santana; you'd better apologise and get the hell away, April". The blonde's mouth fell open. "So you're choosing her over me?! But I'm way better!" she whined.

Santana's laugh could be heard all around the club. "Bitch please! Did you look at her?" the Latina said, pointing at her best friend "She's hot as hell, has the longest legs ever seen, toned body and eyes that could melt ice. She's fierce and has the kindest heart. And you say that you're better?! How old are you? 97? Please, cover your dried boobs, for the love of God; they're just nasty. And how pathetic is that you have to beg for someone to fuck you? Uh, last thing: the animal print leggings make you look like a cheap hooker and the guy of LMFAO called. He wants them back" deadpanned Santana, crossing her arms in front of her chest. And, as the ultimate bitch-slap, Finn arrived with Azimio and Karofsky in tow and said "Guys, take the lady out. She's no more welcome in here". All April was able to do was standing with eyes wide open while being dragged out of the club, speechless.

Santana was still standing when she saw Rachel freeing herself from Puck's hold, getting out of the boot and throwing herself in the Latina's arms. Santana smiled and squeezed her best friend tighter. "I'm guessing that I'm forgiven" the short woman nodded "and that I'm still your best friend and always will" the other nodded again "and that you'll talk to me again" the brown-eyed woman nodded a third time and, with a small voice, said "Thank you, Tana". Santana started caressing Rachel's hair and told her friend "That thing was talking shit about my best friend and that's not happening on my watch". They stayed like that for a couple more seconds and then the Latina said in Rachel's ear "Better if we come back to seat or Puck will go crazy if he won't have you next to him in the next three seconds".

In fact, Puck was seating restlessly on his seat; he wanted desperately for Rachel to come back so he could check on her. The shit April threw at her was pretty heavy and he didn't want her to believe to anything the blonde said.

The women took their seats and, as soon as Rachel sat, Noah's arm wrapped her in a sideway hug while Finn took her hand in his. "Rachie, are you okay? You know that you don't have to listen to her, right? There will always be people who will try to bring you down but you have to know that you are amazing. Please, don't care about what that sad woman just said" said the worried brother. Rachel smiled fondly at her brother and squeezed lightly his hand "Don't worry, Finn. I'm good."

And with that, the conversation started anew, with Santana talking about the performance that Sam was giving on the stage (he was practically straddling a woman on an iron littler, while Artie and Blaine was standing on the opposite side of the gurney dressed like male nurses). But when the Latina and Finn were too engrossed with their bickering, Rachel felt Noah's breath on her neck and, a few moments later, she heard his voice saying "You know, I totally agree with Santana. You're fucking hot. And your nose is my favourite." Rachel turned her head and smiled at him, looking through her long eyelashes. He replied with a similar smile and kissed her forehead lightly, when he did that she sighed happily.

She looked at the stage and then at the two men. "Guys, don't you have to come back to work? I don't want your boss to get mad at you because you're with us!" Puck shook his head and informed her that they already did their two required performances and added "And we usually spend the rest of the night with the hottest chicks in the club, which we already are, so no sweat Rachel. You're not getting us in trouble", winking at the brown-eyed girl. She really hoped that no one noticed the way her cheeks blushed.

* * *

Later, after the club closed for the night, the only two women left where Rachel and Santana, who was waiting for the men to appeared from behind a curtain. According to Finn, it was too late for them to go home by themselves so he said that it was better if they would wait for him and they agreed.

Rachel jumped down from the stool where she was seating and made her way to the restroom, just to be stopped by something that grabbed her by the arm. She turned around and saw a man around her age, with awful brownish frizzy hair. His little eyes were almost hidden behind glasses, his skin was pale and had some white pimple in sight. He was disgusting. And he kept getting closer and closer to Rachel saying "Hi! From the first time I saw you, I knew that we were meant to be. Our babies will be beautiful".

Rachel shrieked and said "You're crazy! Let go of me! Let me go!" . She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but it was too strong. She tried to put more distance between the two of them but, at one point, she felt the cold door of the restroom blocking her path. She was panicking because the crazy man continued to get closer and closer with closed eyes and his mouth ready to kiss her; so she bowed her head and closed her eyes too, whimpering.

Suddenly the grip disappeared and she heard a thump. She opened her eyes and saw the creepy man hanging on the wall with his feet off the ground while Noah was holding him by the collar of his shirt.

"The fuck do you think you're doing, asshole?" he growled and looked at the DJ menacingly. The pale man turned even paler and looked around to find any type of help. But Puck's hold got tighter and he lifted the other one a little bit higher, making Jew-fro sweat like a pig. "Next time I see you even watching in her direction, I'm going to beat the crap out of you. Got it?" The creepy one just nodded furiously but that didn't satisfy Puck, who said "I didn't hear you, snot…". "Y-Y-Yes. I-I-I'll leave her alone."

At that, the mohawked man let go of the jackass, who fell at his feet in a ball of fear and sweat and still whimpering, and walked to Rachel. As soon as he was her side, she hugged him tightly and said "Thank you, Noah. Thank you so much." Her voice was muffled because her face was buried in his chest. He hugged her back and lean his lips on the top of her head. "Don't worry, I'm here. The twit is never gonna get close to you again".

They walked towards the group and, as soon as they spotted them, Santana and Finn was asking what happened and why Rachel seemed so shaken. Puck simply told them not to worry, that he already took care it. Finn looked seriously at him and nodded, silently thanking him for defending his sister.

The group went out in the street chatting loudly. The petite brunette was still standing next to Noah when she felt poking her arm and, looking down, saw that Puck was extending her his mobile.

"What I am supposed to do with your phone, Noah?" asked perplexed. The man laughed and answered "Well, you put your number in it so I can call you". Rachel smiled and took the phone, keying in her number. She heard Santana calling for her so she quickly called her mobile phone, raised herself on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"Good night Noah and thank you again" she whispered in his ear. A shiver was shot down his spine. She hugged the others and run to Santana, intertwining her pinkie with the Latina's one. Noah stood there, watching the three with a soft smile on his face, while his friends was watching at each other: like The Grinch, Puck's heart grew three sizes larger and it was Rachel Berry to thank for that.

* * *

**Tah-dah! Did you like it? If you did (and even if you didn't), let me know by writing something in that little white box below. It would really help my self-esteem as a writer. You can write anything you want, I pinkie-swear I will love it anyway!**

**See you wonderful people at the next update. Ciao!**


	6. State Of Mind

**Hello beautiful people! :)**

**Thank you for your amazing response to the previous chapter! Thank you to the ones who put my story in their favourite list or decided to follow it: you rock and you all deserve a big present from Santa this month! And to the ones who took their time to write me a review: you make my heart sing! I would never stress enough how you guys are helping me with my writer-shyness!**

**There it is the 6th chapter of my story! See you at the end!**

**Disclaimer: Santa said he would do his best to give me both Glee and Magic Mike but, until then,...*shakes her head sadly***

* * *

Rachel laughed out loud reading the text that Noah just sent her: it was about the awesomeness that was Super Mario Bros. Who knew that behind the macho façade was hidden a dork at heart?

She heard a cough behind her and smiled when the brunette was greeted by the sight of one very-well-dressed Kurt Hummel.

They met the very first day of their first year at NYADA, during Carmen Tibideaux's singing class. The freshmen were supposed to sing a song to introduce themselves and Rachel chose to perform "My Man", as an homage to her idol. When she ended her performance, an enthusiastic and teary-eyed Kurt rose from his sit and clapped at her furiously; he stopped only when Mrs. Tibideaux glared at the young man. After class they talked and bonded over Barbra Straisand and moisturizers: for what it's worth, they were soul sisters.

"Well, well, well… glad to see that my diva is having a happy day. May I ask you why?" he said extending a cup of camomile tea with honey at her and sitting next to her on their favourite bench. They liked to spend their free period in the little park just outside the academy; it was a very peaceful place.

"Kurt, you are spoiling me!" she smiled at him, raising the cup that he just gave her. "You're so sweet that you make me want to be your boyfriend" she winked. That drew a laugh out of the flamboyant man. "Oh honey, I'm sure you would be an excellent one. But, to the matter in hand: why were you laughing so hard before?" he asked sipping at his non-fat cappuccino.

"Nothing" she looked back at her phone "Just a friend of mine who sent me a funny text. That's all". Her friend looked at her furtively and, with a smile, questioned " What are the chances that this friend of yours is the one that writes you several times a day, comes at the diner every Monday just to talk with you and also happened to be a very handsome male specimen, according to popular belief?".

"You definitely don't have to believe to anything Quinn and Santana say" she stated seriously. "Why? Isn't he as stunning as they say?" Kurt asked. Rachel looked at her friend from under her eyelashes, smiled knowingly and took a good sip at her beverage. The flamboyant man laughed and said "Very well, I take they told me the truth! So when are you two going to an actual date? It's been two months that this thing is going on! Aren't you tired of this situation?".

She licked her lips and shook her head "It's not that easy. I mean…" she sighed and closed her eyes "He's an amazing man: funny, caring and he really gets me. It's so easy to talk with him: I could spend days just talking to him about anything and…".

Kurt listened very carefully to the petite woman and decided to stop Rachel's rant "And where is the problem with that?! He seems perfect for you!". The woman passed a hand in her hair "We're different, maybe too much! He made it quite clear that he liked to "have fun" and spend his days from bed to bed. And I don't know if I can trust him with my heart".

He looked at his friend sympathetically and put an arm around her while she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Diva, I'm confident that everything will come together eventually. But please, don't close your heart to this guy: even I can say that he cares about you deeply, and I never met him! So don't be biased against it and just…let it be! Okay?". He squeezed her shoulder and the two smiled at each other. "Now, let's go to class. I can't wait to hear what you think about my version of "Le Jazz Hot". If I can say myself, it's one of my best works" and with that they got up and walked towards the academy.

* * *

Sam noticed that his best friend was acting weird. He didn't sleep with any of the club's clients from a long time and he smiled more. He SMILED; not smirk, not grin, but a honest-to-God smile.

The blonde couldn't find a reason for that; sure, his cocking abilities improved and maybe this was the reason why he seemed so happy lately but, come on, he wasn't that good.

One evening, while they were watching ESPN and eating Chinese take away, Puck's phone went off and he rushed to check on it. After a few seconds, here it was: another smile on Puckerman's face. So Sam did what every mature man of his age would have done: he grabbed his friend's phone from his hand, ran for his life down the hallway and, when he finally was safe into his room, locked the door.

In mere few seconds, Puck started to pounding on his door and growled menacingly "Evans, if you don't open this fucking door right now and give me my phone back, I swear I'll knock it down and I will kick your ass until your butt cheeks will become your tonsils!".

But Sam was a man on a mission: find the reason for Puck's smiles. He unblocked the phone and saw that it was open on a message.

**From: Rachel* "Noah, I have to leave you now: trying to convince Brittany's cat to quit smoking is resulting to be a tougher task that we originally predicted. I'll talk to you soon. Good Night."**

Rachel? Who the hell was this Rachel girl? The only Rachel they knew was….Oh!

He finally put the pieces together: the way Puck always tried to make Finn talk about his sister, or how he would dropped her name casually in random conversations, or the fact that he didn't have sex with none of the women at the club since the night Rachel and Santana came at the club a month ago. Just to double check, he opened the received messages' file in the other man phone; it was full of messages from Rachel.

Realisation hit him and, with it, so did Puck. Sam was shoved on the floor by a very angry Noah, who immediately got up, took his phone back and looked at the blonde enraged "The fuck is wrong with you?", his voice low and slow.

Sam looked at him still laying on the floor. "Rachel. Really Puck? You have the hots for Rachel?". Puck glared at him and stormed off the room. Sam was immediately after him, once he managed to get back on his feet. He found Noah on the couch, a scowl on his face and the phone in his hand in a dead grip.

"Why didn't you tell me?" the blonde said, receiving a shortly "It's none of your fucking business" as an answer. Sam suppressed a laugh: it was the first time he had ever saw his best friend like this; Rachel was really something special to make him react like that. Sam knew she was very sweet and nice but he never thought that the Puckfasa would actually feel something more for her. Scratch that, he never thought Puck could feel something for any woman!

"Did you tell her that you like her?" asked Sam with curiosity and Puck looked at him as if he was crazy "You insane? I'm not a pussy like you!". The brunette was putting up his walls; the southern man shook his head and thought that, finally, the day when he, Samuel Evans, would teach something about women to the one and only Noah Puckerman as come.

"Puck, if you really like her, you have to tell her! Maybe, if you two get together, you'll start to be less of an dumbass!". Noah threw a punch right into his friend's arm, making him winced. Then the hazel-eyed man shook his head and simply said "We're too different. It can't work out".

Sam looked at his best friend with a frown. Was he out of his mind? He couldn't just shut out of his life something that seemed to make him so happy! But he tried to understand his point of view by asking "And why is that?", with a very calm voice as if he wouldn't want to spook a wild afraid animal.

Puck stared at him in the eyes "Listen up, white Oprah; I'm not going to tell you about my feelings and you know why? Because I don't do feelings. That's why, me and Rachel? Can't work out. She deserves someone who can take care of her and not someone like me who will eventually hurt her. She's great". Puck uttered that final part with a warm glow in his eyes and the blonde totally noticed that. So, he said with a small smile "So, be the man she deserved to be with and don't be a coward. Since you met her, you're happier…still an asshole but a happy one! Don't push it away and fight for it. If she's so great as you say, it'll be worth it."

Sam got up, patted his best friend's shoulder and left the room, leaving his best friend thinking about what he should do.

* * *

At the bar down the street from Rachel and Finn's apartment it was karaoke's night and the siblings decided that, since it was a while since they sang (well, it was a while for Finn… and Rachel would never pass the possibility to show her singing ability), they would meet their friends down there and have some more than deserved fun.

Santana and Brittany were definitely in but Kurt and Quinn had to turn down the offer, so Finn had a great idea: he decided to invite his co-workers. He knew that Rachel wouldn't mind (she seemed to get along with them at the club – especially with Puck) and the more the merrier, right?

The boys all answered positively, telling him that they will meet at the bar.

As soon as Rachel found out that Noah and the other guys would join them that night, a smile appeared on her face and it stayed there for the rest of the day. It was two day since they saw each other at the diner and she set her mind at rest that she wouldn't see him until the following Monday; so knowing that that night he would be there made her heart beat faster.

With every talk, every smile and every look, she felt herself totally fall under his spell: she really liked discovering different sides of him, peeling the layers in which he hid himself since a very young age. She loved how he trusted her. It was scary how much she liked him and she was terrified at the thought that she might build all this up, she might have imagined it all. So she shook this feeling off and got ready for the evening.

She was just passing in front of the bathroom when she heard a muffled cry coming from it. She knocked on the door and said "Finn, everything's okay?"

The man yelled from the inside "Yes, yes…E-Everything is fine! Don't worry!" but the noise of falling items said the right opposite. Rachel tried to opened the door but it was locked so she started to knock faster. "Finn, let me in! Please!" she cried when she heard him hiss. She was worried sick that something happened to her brother. What if he slipped and knocked his head on the sink? Or what if he passed out and hurt himself?

"Finn! If you don't open right this instant, I'm going to call 911!" she stated firmly. She heard the door being unlocked and a very red-faced Finn looked at her with her bright pink razor in his hand. She had to double check that. Than she locked her eyes with him and asked slowly "Is it my razor?". Finn mumbled something and she took it as an affirmative answer.

"And what are you doing with it?". Her voice was very tentative and curious. "…" he mumbled again. Her chocolate eyes were big as saucers, looking from her razor to her brother. "I'm sorry, Finn; I didn't understand. Could you repeat what you just said?"

"I was shaving my legs and I cut myself" he said with embarrassment. Now her mouth was hanging open. She looked down at his legs and she saw a cut with bright red blood in it so she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the bathroom. He was sitting on the closed toilet bowl while she was ranting against him "Are you out of your mind?! Do you have any idea how unsanitary it is? And why on earth didn't you immediately open the door? I was worried sick, I thought something really bad happened to you!". She grabbed the cotton and the disinfectant from the cabinet above the sink and dampened the cotton with the liquid. She then pressed it against the cut, making Finn hiss. "Could you at least tell me why are you shaving your legs?" she asked seriously, staring into his eyes.

Finn scratched the back of his head and said "It's for my job. The guys told me I have to shave my body. And if I do it tomorrow my legs will be full of red dots and would itch so…". Rachel shook her head and looked at him in disbelief "You have to be gentle! If you're not, it's only natural that the skin gets irritated! Are you using at least a cream? And you have to apply a hydrant lotion afterwards and…". She abruptly stopped when a thought came in her mind. "Wait a minute! Since when do you shave yourself with MY razor?!" she asked with a high-pitched voice. "Well, almost three months I guess…since I started at the club" confessed him candidly.

She stared at her pink razor with pure disgust. She guessed she had to throw it away now.

She pointed right at her brother's face and stated "You owe me a new razor! And get your own!". She stormed off the bathroom fuming and closed herself in her own bedroom: she had to get ready for the night ahead and she wouldn't let anyone or anything ruin that for her.

She grabbed her phone to check if Quinn answered to a message she had sent her earlier. She had a message; but it wasn't from the blonde. A smile featured her face when she read what Noah wrote her.

**From: Noah "Can't wait to c u 2night. Finally can hear if all the bragging about ur voice is deserved. C u l8r, B. I'll b the hot one w/ the 'hawk."**

Well, that was a pretty good way to make her forget all the Finn-razor debacle. A very good one.

* * *

When the siblings arrived, their friends were already there. The place was packed but it was quite easy to spot them; they were the loudest, chatting animatedly and drinking beer around a large table.

Rachel waved her hand to the counter, greeting the waitress Tina. She was a lovely Asian girl; she had a very warm smile and black long straight hair with blonde ends. She was very shy but, once you get to know her, she was very funny and quite fierce. She waved back at the small brunette and mouthed that she would be at the table with their usuals right after.

She barely made at the table that Brittany threw herself at her, hugging her tight. She was a spitfire and the sweetest girl Rachel had ever met. She's from California and she moved here because she was studying at Julliard. She was part of a dance crew, of which she was the leader – Rachel saw them a couple of time and they were incredible, they even appeared in some popular music videos (she made a mental note to introduce Mike to her; he would be a terrific addition to her crew!). She and Santana were together from a couple of years and finally, 5 months ago, they moved together. The petite brunette had never seen her best friend happier than when she was with Brittany and, for that, Rachel would always be grateful to the blonde.

Than she began to greet the other guys and Artie introduced to her his girlfriend Mercedes, a ebony-skinned curvy woman with a large shiny smile, big dark eyes and long wavy hair; she seemed like a very friendly person.

She looked around for a place for her to seat and noticed that the only free seat was next to Noah. He was looking at her with a smirk on his face and patted the seat next to him. She sat down and than looked at him in the eyes smiling. "Good evening, Noah. How are you?" she said to him politely. He looked back at her and replied playfully "Well, no kiss for me? You kissed everybody except me, babe. And here I was, thinking that I was your favourite!". She rolled her eyes and pecked his cheek, lingering a little bit longer. She fell his arm circling her on her waist and lightly dragging her closer to him; his touch was soft and possessive. Goosebumps appeared on her arms and her mind was dizzy because his scent drove her crazy: it was Irish Spring mixed with something that she didn't quite figure out and she had to repress the urge to bit his neck, since it was right in front of her.

He got closer and whispered in her ear "You're fucking hot, B. We should hook up, we're are a couple of good-looking Jews. It's natural.".

Leave it to Noah Puckerman to ruin a perfect romantic moment! Rachel tried to push him away but he kept her in his embrace, until she finally gave up trying and settled in it. Only then, he kissed her forehead and let her go. Santana and Blaine didn't miss this little exchange between the two and shared a knowing glance, smiling subtly.

The evening was light and full of laugh; Rachel introduced to Mike both Brittany and Tina (the glances between the two were too cute to don't play matchmaker!), leaving her Asian friend with an almost new job opportunity, since Britt totally trusted Rachel's taste in artistic matters and was really curious to see what Mike could do, and a phone number of a very pretty almond-shaped-eyed woman.

Sam was just hilarious. He made some of his best impressions, that were really awful but very funny nonetheless and brought the petite brunette and Brittany in tears. The two blondes seemed like long-lost siblings: they were both very naïve yet very smart at the world that surrounded them.

Another pair of long-lost siblings? Definitely Santana and Noah. They were almost identical in their behaviour and had the same overly sexual sense of humour. They were both crass and still very protective to their loved ones. Rachel decided that Santana was just Noah with boobs and a vagina (or Noah was just Santana without boobs and a dick?). They laughed at Finn's high school stories, narrated by the Latina; the only thing poor Finn could do was groaning in embarrassment or laughing at some particular memories.

Rachel was really happy to get to know a little more Artie. He was from Chicago and arrived to the city to study engineering at the NYU-poly tech. He told her that his dream was to work on some prosthesis that could help people who couldn't walk; it was a very sensible matter for him because, when he was younger, he was hit by a car and, for several months, he couldn't use his legs. The doctors told him and his family that the possibilities for him to walk again were very slim but he fought tooth and nail against it and, thanks to hours upon hours upon hours of physiotherapy, here he was, walking on his own legs. But he knew that not everyone was that lucky so he wanted to do something to help them. But one day, he met Mercedes and they became each other's world. They were now engaged and, as soon as she would graduate in sociology, they would move west to Silicon Valley to made his dream come true. He started to strip for the money and now, even if he wasn't study anymore, he decided to keep the job and save as much money as he could for their life together.

Rachel was very moved by Artie's story and by the love that he showed for his fiancée: his deep blue eyes shone with love and affection. She really hoped that one day someone would talked about her with his same eyes (well…she wouldn't mind if they were hazel…).

The karaoke started and the first attendees were REALLY awful. When the last 'singer' killed (and not in the good way) 'You give love a bad name', Santana looked at her best friend in the eyes and stated seriously "If I hear another fucker try to belt out a Bon Jovi's song again, there will be blood on that stage. You'd better get your sweet ass on the stage and show 'em how it is done!".

Rachel was about to answer but she had to stop when a woman started to destroy "My heart will go on". The brunette glared at said woman. How did she dare ruin such a masterpiece? Rachel got up with fire in her eyes. That was it. She stomped to the guy who was taking care of the karaoke and told him what she was going to perform.

Noah was seating with his elbows on his knees and was staring at the brown-eyed woman across the room. He wasn't kidding before when he told her that she was hot. She wore a tight dark blue one shoulder tank top and skinned-tight jeans. Above the top she had a long white cardigan and sexy high-heeled boots at her feet. Her dark hair were straight and her lips shone thanks to the lip-gloss.

It was really hard for him not to drag her in the darkest corner of the bar and kiss her senseless, burying his hands in her hair and tasting her. He had to shake his head or he would had to deal with a hardest problem, if you know what he meant.

After his conversation with Sam, he really thought about what his blonde friend told him. Was he ready to be the man that Rachel deserved? He didn't know that. All his life, when it came to a girl, his dick was the one who did the thinking but the stunning brunette that he came to know in the previous couple of months didn't deserve that. She was amazing: strong-opinioned, passionate, funny, sweet… He never met someone like her and the strangest thing was that, for him, being with her was like breathing, the most natural thing ever.

He was brought back to reality when he felt someone poking his arm. He turned his head and Blaine was looking strange at him. "Puck, are you okay? You seemed a little spaced out.." the gel-bound man said a little bit worried. Noah shook his head and clapped one hand on the short one's shoulder, adding "Don't worry, man. I'm good".

Both men's attention turned to their friends, since every single one of them were hollering and whistling at Rachel, who was getting on the stage with a big shiny smile. The first chords revealed them that she was going to performed "New York state of mind".

When she started to sing six jaws fell open; she was magic. Her voice was warm and clear; her intonation was perfect and she delivered every single verse with such an intensity that made everyone shiver. It was impossible not to stare at her, she was mesmerizing. Noah finally understood why she told him that she was bound to Broadway: the stage was her home.

The bar went completely quiet during her performance, just to erupt in a burst of applause as soon as Rachel sang the last note. She smiled widely at her audience and bowed her head, getting off the stage and walking to the bar employee.

Puck was flabbergasted. He had never heard something like that, she had the voice of an angel. Suddenly, he heard someone next to him sniffing. He turned his head and he met a teary-eyed Blaine who was hiccupping and trying to hide the tears that were about to roll down his cheeks.

Puck asked him shocked "Dude, are you crying?". Blaine shook forcefully his head with the only result that a couple of tears escaped from his eyes. "I-I'm not crying. I-It's just that I got a l-little bit emotional because she was g-great" the short man sobbed, wiping his cheeks with the back of his hand.

The bow-tied man looked at something over Puck's shoulder and ran in that direction. The hazel-eyed man followed him with his eyes and saw that he was head towards Rachel, who was just a few feet from their table. Blaine placed himself in front of the petite brunette, grabbed her face and pecked her lips. Rachel's eyes were wide-open with surprise and Noah saw red.

"Oh. No. He. Didn't." thought Puck, tightening his fist until his knuckles turned white, and stomping his way towards them. As soon as he was behind his so-called friend, he growled "The fuck are you doing, Anderson?"

Blaine detached himself from Rachel, who was still a little bit shocked, and grabbed her hands in his, ignoring an enraged Puck behind him. Looking straight into her eyes, he told her "Honey, you're perfection. If I were straight, I would already proposed you to spend our life together. We would spend our days singing old tunes and watching black and white movies. But I'm gay so I'm just going to say that you're one of a kind, Rachel. Let's talk about your favourite musical icons". And, with that, she dragged her to their table, leaving a very confused Puck standing.

"That was hilarious to watch, Puckerman" Santana said, offering him a bottle of beer. He took it in his hand and took a long gulp at it, without breaking eye-contact with the two short figures. "I'm curious: how does it feel to know that Anderson kissed the girl first?" the Latina asked with a devilish grin. When she saw the glare that he threw at her, she couldn't help herself and started to laugh out loud. "Sucks so much, uh?" she said, wiping her eyes. "Well, that's what you get for being a pussy and not doing anything to be with her. But Puck? Let me give you a piece of advice: make your move and make it fast! As you could see: once you get to know her, she's kind of irresistible . She can turn gays into straight men and straight girls into lesbians. This is how hot Rach is!"

Puck was drinking at his beer and thinking about what Santana just said. "What do you mean straight girls into lesbian?! I didn't see it!".

Of course, this is all his brain took in from the Latina's little speech.

Santana smiled, watching her best friend talking animatedly with Mercedes, and answered "She was the first girl I fell for, I liked her since sixth grade". The black-haired woman sighed and kept going "I didn't know why I was feeling like that every time she was next to me and I was so confused that I started to lash out my insecurities on her, calling her names and making her life a living hell. That lasted until junior year when Glee Club came around and she was the fucking captain, mooning over the dumbass of a male lead. She forgave me for all the crap I put her through and we became friends. So, one day, I decided to man up and told her I was in love with her". She sipped at her beer and looked at Puck, who was literally hanging from her lips. "She told me, and I quote, that I was a 'stunning young woman and that she felt flattered that I chose her as love interest, but that she couldn't reciprocate the feelings because she was hetero, but that, if she would ever change her mind, I would be her first choice'".

At that, Noah laughed loudly: yes, that was definitely something Rachel would say!

He looked at Santana and asked "How did you manage to be friend with her if you were in love with her?". The Latina bowed her head and, with a small smile, said "You cannot force someone to be something she isn't. I've learnt it the hard way. And, lucky you, she is very much straight. But, after my confession, we got so much closer: she, along with Finn and their parents, were by my side when I came out. They gave me love, protection and a house when my biological parents throw me out of my own house because I love women the way I'm supposed to love men. I still love her. Hell, I will always love her! I'm just not in love with her anymore" she shrugged.

Than she groaned "Lord, I feel like I have a vagina now. It's all your fault, fucker!". She stabbed his chest with one finger and added "Last thing: you break her heart, I break your dick and you can wave goodbye to the future Puckerman spawn. Got it?". Puck laughed and nodded at the scary-looking Latina.

Then he looked back at the table but Rachel was nowhere to be found; so he muttered under his breath "Where the hell is she?". Santana started to walk towards the table and said "She's at the bar. Alone.", winking at him.

He scanned the crowd until he found her. She was talking with Tina, her arms on the counter and ankle crossed. He walked in her direction, boxed her between his arms and kissed her head. The Asian woman flashed a knowing smile at them and left them alone.

Rachel turned around and locked eyes with him "Noah, I was talking with her! It was very rude to interrupt us like that!". He smiled at her and looked at the waitress that was now talking to a very happy Mike Chang. "I say she didn't mind" Puck said to the brunette in a low voice, brushing his hand on his cheek and putting a lock of hair behind her ear.

She blushed at his mere touch. His hand lingered on her, descending slowly down her neck.

Rachel had to think fast and say something or her mind would turn to mush and she would beg him to take her somewhere when they can be alone. Think, Rachel, THINK!

"So!" she said a little too enthusiastic "What did you think of my performance? Did you like it?". He smiled warmly and nodded; he got closer to her and said with honesty "You were amazing". He locked eyes with her, licked his lips and said "You are amazing".

Rachel turned her head slightly and an embarrassed smile featured her face. His gaze was so intense that it was too hard to stare back at him; his eyes burnt holes into hers. He made her feel like she was the only woman in the whole room.

He grabbed her chin with delicacy while she said "Thank you, Noah. It's very sweet of you to say that". He shook his head and replied "Just the truth, babe. Just the truth".

This time, she was the one who got closer to him: they were so close that their chests were touching one other lightly. She smelled like strawberry and vanilla: she was so tempting and he was starving for her.

She said to him "Are you going to sing too? I'd love to hear you…". He laughed and brushed his hand down her spine. "Not tonight. The first time you're going to hear me, it's going to be a private show".

Rachel giggled at his statement and, after kissing him next to his ear, she whispered "Can't wait for it". She freed herself from his arms and walked towards the table; halfway she turned her head to look at him and flashed him a huge smile.

His heart started to beat fast and the answer to the question 'Is Puck ready to be the man Rachel deserves?' never seemed so clear. Hell yeah!

* * *

**End of the chapter! What do you guys think? Don't be shy and write me! If you have questions, notes or remarks, write and I will be more than happy to answer to you! **

**Thank you for reading so far! As usual, you are amazing.**


	7. Knowing Me, Knowing You

**Hello!:) **

**It's time for another update! But, before you start to read the new chapter, I wanted to thank you so much for your amazing response! I'm overwhelmed! **

**But, most of all, I wanted to thank those who took their time for reviewing it! Thank you so, so, so much! .amazing!**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter too!**

* * *

Puck read for the tenth time the message that Rachel sent her, while he was waiting for her at the station.

**From: Rachel* "I need to go away from here for a couple of hours. I'm just tired of everything. Would you come with me? I need you. Please."**

As soon as he read for the first time the text, he called Schue and called in sick and sent a text to Sam and Finn that he wouldn't go with them to the gym that day. He didn't like the tone of her message and, sure as hell, wouldn't leave her alone if she needed him. He wrote her to meet him at the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge City Hall Station. He knew the perfect place if she wanted to be alone for awhile.

He was worried sick; Rachel was always optimistic and happy and he wanted to keep it that way. He couldn't think about anything that could be the reason behind the unhappiness of Rachel's text but he wanted to beat the crap out of the thing that made her feel like this.

He was pacing absent-mindedly when he felt someone call his name. He scanned the crowd and saw a familiar face. She ran and slammed against him, hugging him tight.

"Thank you, Noah" she muttered against his chest. He hugged her just as tight and kissed her head, saying "Babe, what happened?". She shook her head, inhaling deeply, and than she looked in his eyes "I don't want to talk about it yet." He noticed that her eyes were red and puff. She had definitely cry; he decided to let it go for now and nodded in agreement.

"So" she continued "Where are we going?". He smiled at her and, after tucking her under his arm safely, they entered the station. When they arrived at the ticket office, he told her "We're going to Brighton beach. It's where I go when I'm down or just want to be by myself. I thought that, right now, you need it more than I do".

She smiled sadly at him and rose on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "I really do. Noah, I-I want to thank you again. It's very nice of you to spend the afternoon with me even if I'm not the best company right now" she said with a small voice; he couldn't stand the sight of her looking so defeated.

After he brought two tickets, he told her "Rach, believe me. It's not a problem at all. Just for being here with you, my day just went a thousand times better". He flashed her a big smile and it grew even bigger when she launched herself in his arms, hugging him. She nuzzled her nose against his neck, taking in his scent and relaxing against him, while he lifted her up from the ground. The embrace lasted for a couple of minutes; then he put her down, took her hand in his and the two walked to the right platform. As soon as they sat on the train, his arm wrapped her again and she leaned her head on his shoulder. They spent the whole trip in a comfortable silence.

When they arrived at destination, they immediately went out on the street and walked towards the beach. There weren't much people: only a few persons with their dogs and some couples. Noah tugged her lightly down the Boardwalk and on the beach, he wanted to take her to a little playground right on the sand. They sat on the two swings, facing the ocean, and stayed like that for what it seemed hours until Rachel decided to start talking.

"Noah, do I look weak in your opinion?" she asked, not looking at him. He watched her like she went insane "B, you look anything but weak. You're fucking fierce!". "So why everyone think that?" she questioned without skipping a beat "All my life, I've been told that I was nothing and that I was so worthless and weak that I would never make it. All my life, Noah. And sometimes I just think that they might be right". She was staring at her shoes covered in sand.

Next to her, Noah was fuming; he growled his next question "What happened Rachel? Who is the fucker that told you that?". He was ready to kick some sorry ass so they will think thrice before make his girl cry again (in his mind, she was his since he set his mind to get her).

"I have some problems with my dance teacher. She hates me since my first lesson with her: she calls me names, tells me that I'm not sexy or good enough to play a lead on Broadway and that she pities the ones who will scripture me because their show will definitely be a flop. And today she told me, in front of the whole class, that I am a 'privileged, self-indulgent, mediocre idiot who thinks that will be the next big thing when, in reality, I am nothing'" she wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek "And I couldn't do nothing to stop her. I just had to swallow everything she says and stay silent because otherwise I could be expelled. But I'm tired to feel like this. I'm tired that every time I try to prove them wrong, they just don't care and try to tear me down". She was sobbing now and she felt Noah's hand upon hers.

"And all the girls in my class; they're all hoity-toity and they look at me as I am scum. It's like junior high and high school all over again. I thought that once I left Lima behind, it would change it all. Guess I was wrong" she sniffed and sighed.

Puck got up from the swing, went in front of her and he held out his hand for her. She grabbed it and got up as well and let his embrace make her feel protected. It felt so good be held by him, feeling his heart beat and be lulled by the gentle raise and fall of his chest: it was like a safe cocoon.

At last, he decided to speak "Rach, they are fucking envious. This is why they try to bring you down. Believe me, I was just like them". Rachel looked at him confused and whispered "What do you mean?".

He sighed deeply and continued "I was a bully when I was in high school and I know why people bring someone like you down, basically we have the same mind. They are threatened by your talent because they know that they will never be as successful as you're going to be. I felt like I was going to be a little town loser and I would be stuck in there for all my life, this is why I tormented most of the kids in my high-school…well, because of that and because some of them gave me the creeps". He shrugged and looked down at her. Her eyes were shiny and big and they were staring back at him. "Really?" she asked surprise. He raised his eyebrow as if he didn't understand what she just said; she clenched her fists on his coat and told him "You're different. I don't know you from a long time but the Noah I know it's very different from a bully. Sure, you're a little bit rude and uncouth but you're a good-hearted man. So, what changed?"

He gave her a small smile at her and answered "Maybe I'm not changed. Maybe I'm pretending to be good just to make a good impression on you". She shook violently her head and looked into his hazel eyes "No, I'm sure of that. I came to know you in these months. So don't tell me that your behaviour is a farce because I won't believe you. And I know that your friends have really high opinions of you. So, what happened that made you change your behaviour?"

He looked at the sky and sighed. There was not reason for him to lie to her. Since the first time at the diner, he felt like she would never judge him, no matter what he told her. It was so easy to be him with her.

"I don't know if I'm really changed" he finally said "but here I don't feel as worthless as I felt back home". He felt her squeeze him tight. "But we're not here to talk about me. Babe, don't let these fuckers have the upper hand. You're a fucking fighter and they are just full of bullshit. Okay?" He grabbed her chin and lifted it a little bit higher. Her eyes were dark brown, two deep pool of chocolate, and were staring into the Puck's hazel ones.

His voice was soft while he said "Promise me that you won't let them get you down. And if you'll ever have another low day like this, you'll call me. Okay?" He stopped with his thumb a tear that escaped from her eyes. "Promise" she said in a broken whisper.

They started to move towards the shore, both unhappy for the temporary separation: she crossed her arms on her chest, trying to shield herself from the freezing wind, while Puck put his hands on his pockets.

After a couple of minutes, he asked her "Why did you call me?". "Excuse me?" Rachel looked at him with surprise, so he just repeated "Why did you call me?", emphasising the last word. "I mean, you could have called Lopez or Finn that know you since forever. But you called me. So, why?". His tone was gentle: he didn't want her to think that he wasn't happy to be there with her, he was just curious.

Rachel thought about the answer for a couple of minute while they kept walking and then said "I don't know. You were the first person that came up in my mind. I didn't even think about my brother or Santana… it was just you".

Truth to be told, in those days, Noah was a constant in the petite's brunette's thoughts: his eyes, his laugh, the way that he licked his lips when he was looking at her, how his gaze softened every time he talked about his little sister and mother or how he smiled at her when he heard her laugh. Small things, but that Rachel noticed and were burnt in her memory forever. She was falling fast for him and that scared her to death: her last relationships failed miserably and she didn't want to ruin what they have. Sure; it wasn't her fault that Brody decided to cheat on her with her dance teacher (yes… the same dance teacher that caused her breakdown) and that Jesse preferred his career to their relationship. Her heart was pretty bruised and she didn't want to lose someone that became such an important part of her life. She didn't know if she could handle that.

But he made it so hard for her to pretend that she didn't harbour any romantic feelings for him: they were so different yet so similar. Life had been pretty tough for both of them but, when they were together, it was as if everything was good again.

Noah smiled at her answer and took a good look at her. Her long locks were flying in the wind; even the black bobble hat couldn't hold them still completely. Her nose and cheeks was red because of the cold and the previous cry.

She looked like a mess, but she was one of the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Noah" Rachel brought him back to reality "can I ask you something?". He hummed positively and waited for her question. "Why did you decide to become a stripper? I'm sure that you're very good with the guitar and I'm positive that you have so many talents in you. What made you decide for that kind of job?". He laughed at her question and answered with another one. "Do you want the truth?"

He started talking as soon as he saw her nod. "Money, women and good time. I was 18 when I arrived here from my little home town in Massachusetts and a job that promised me lots of money and thousands of women sounded like paradise to me" Rachel made a face at the statement "and I'm great at it, you can't deny it". He poked her side, making her blush and squirm at the same time.

"You're quite talented, I admitted it. But what will happen when you'll stop? What did you want to do when you were a child?". He looked at her amused and told her "B, when I was a child I wanted to be a lion tamer, an astronaut and a rock star. And I really don't think they will come true. I'll think about the rest of my life when I'll cross that bridge… until then, I'm more than happy just enjoying the ride".

She sniffed and blew softly her nose. He looked at her and then at his watch before saying "Come on, babe. Let's go somewhere warm; don't want to catch a cold, do we?". This gave him an excuse to slide his arm over her shoulders' blades and hold her close in a side-hug, leading her towards the Boardwalk.

* * *

Noah took her in a little cosy diner just a few minutes away from the beach. As soon as they got in, he led her to a booth and sat in front of her. They were taking off their coats and laughing at something funny he said when an old masculine voice boomed in the room.

"My, oh my! I'll be hanged if he isn't that Puck boy! Loreen, come here!" he shouted at the closed kitchen door. It swung open, showing a quite enraged woman "You done with the shouting, Michael? I'm not old like you, I can hear you alright! But I don't think they heard you in China so you might yell a little bit louder!".

The old couple bickered for another couple of minutes and Puck laughed out loud at their antics; this caught the attentions of the two owners. The woman squealed as soon as she saw him and ran to him with arms wide open. Puck got up just in time to receive a huge hug by Loreen. She was around 65 years old, her mocha-colored face featured more wrinkles that Noah remember but her eyes had the same warm light. He hold her just as tight while she said "Oh Puck! I'm so happy to see you again!", then she grabbed his face in her hands and continued seriously "Do not ever make that much time pass again, young men. Did you forget the way? And don't you think about me, getting older and older and bored to death because of him?". The woman indicated her husband who replied with a "Whoa, woman! I'm funny as hell! Not my fault you have no sense of humour!", which earned him a glare from Loreen. He stepped up and hugged Puck too. Michael was older than his wife of a couple of years, his skin a little bit darker and had moustache. The threesome spoke happily for awhile, leaving a dumbfounded Rachel staring at them.

Finally Loreen noticed Rachel and stared at her for a couple of seconds. Then she turned towards Puck and slapped his arm, making him wince. "Where did your manners go, mister? Why have you not introduce us this lovely lady of yours yet?". Rachel opened her mouth to explain to her that she wasn't 'his' but Noah anticipated her by saying "My bad. Loreen, Michael; this is Rachel. Rach these amazing people are Loreen and Michael Williams, they were my first tenants here in New York.". Rachel didn't know how to take the fact that he didn't correct her.

Rachel got up and shook both of their hands, saying with a soft smile "It's a pleasure meeting you, Mrs and Mr Williams. I must say that your diner is adorable". Loreen put both of her hands over her heart and said with a sweet voice "Well, aren't you the most adorable thing ever? Isn't she, Michael?" and slapped his husband's chest with the back of her hand.

"Absolutely" the man smiled warmly at the petite woman and continued "You are stunning, Rachel. But I must ask you something, did he abduct you? If he did, blink twice and I will call the police!".

The joke drew a loud laugh from the little group and, when the laughter subsided, she answered "There's no need. I'm here willingly" and glanced at Noah with a soft smile. Loreen noticed the little gesture and sighed contently. "You two are so cute together. So we're not going to interrupt your date any further. Sit! What can I bring you to eat?". They told her their order and she disappeared in the kitchen, her husband in tow.

As soon as they sat again, she asked him "Why did you let her think that we're together?!", eyeing him suspiciously. He raised an eyebrow and lean his back against his seat, looking at her with a smirk on his face. "Does it bother you?" he said with an amused voice. She straightened herself and smoothed an invisible wrinkle on her jeans while telling him "Not necessarily. I just think it's unfair to lie to such lovely people". She was about to kept talking but was interrupted by him "Stop right there, princess. We didn't lie to them. They just assumed things!" but she shoot back immediately "But we said nothing to correct their assumption!". At that point, he just shrugged "Still: we're not liars", making her huff and then, after a few seconds, he smiled at her and asked her "Are we fighting? Is this our first fight?". You could hear how he was trying not to laugh at his own question. She tried to keep a straight face but, as soon as she glanced at Puck, Rachel burst in a loud laugh, dragging him along with her.

They were still joking around when Puck's phone went off and he checked on it annoyed because he didn't want to be disturbed when he was with Rachel. He opened the message that just arrived.

**From: Hudson "Hey Puck, do you know where Rachel is? It's all afternoon that I'm trying to get a hold of her but her phone is off. I'm kind of worried"**

Puck showed the text to the chocolate-eyed woman, who immediately started to search for her own phone in her purse. She frantically turned it on and waited for a couple of seconds before calling her brother. She apologised profusely at him, telling him that she didn't want to make him worry but she had to go away for a couple of hours because she had a really rough day but that she was safe with Puck and they will see each other the following day, since he was at the club.

Rachel was answering the texts of a very pissed Santana when Puck's phone went off again, telling him that someone just sent him a text too.

**From: Hudson "I trust you with her, you proved it with JBI; but she's a really good girl. You hurt her, me and Santana are going to make your life a living hell. Btw, thanks for taking care of her. I owe you."**

Noah tucked his phone back in his pocket and gave his total attention to the petite brunette that was now sighing and looking desperately at her phone. So, he grabbed it and wrote a short text to Santana.

**To: Santana "Satan, she's w/ me so calm ur tits or I'm going 2 throw the damn thing in the ocean. U'll talk 2 her 2morrow – P"**

And he tucked her phone in his other pocket.

"Excuse me!" she stared at him with surprise in her eyes "May I have my phone device back?". He just shook his head and said "You told me you wanted to go away for awhile and we're still away, so no more fucking phones, babe". She thought about it for a couple of seconds and then nodded and told him "You're right, Noah! No more phones for the day!".

"Damn straight I'm right, B. About time you realize that I'm always right!" and he winked at her.

Rachel laughed out loud, throwing her head back and trying to cover her smile with her hand. That made him smile softly.

After Michael brought their food and they were halfway through it, she looked at him and asked "Noah, what is your biggest regret?". He stared at her and thought about what she just asked him. He sighed, passed his hand through his Mohawk and answered tentatively "I was a jerk at high school and I did a lot of shitty things. But my biggest regret also turned out to be one of the most amazing things I have done. So, I don't know if I can count it as a real regret".

She tried to find out something more about the topic. "Was it about a girl?" she asked timidly, receiving a small laugh as answered. Puck said "Yeah, sort of" and grabbed his wallet, opening it up and passing it to Rachel. The woman took it in her hands and saw a picture of a baby with blonde curly hair in Puck's arm. It was a really cute photo: the baby had a bright smile and a flowery dress and was hugging Noah, who had a matching smile on his face. There was no need to asked who the baby was: they have the same hazel eyes and the same cute nose.

Rachel asked cautiously "Is she your daughter?", but Noah surprised her when he shook his head. She looked back at the picture. She knew he had a little sister but she was 17 and this girl couldn't be older than a 9-year-old child.

But Noah decided to speak "She was never mine to be so I guess that doesn't make her my daughter. I was 16 when I knocked her biological mother up; we were both young and stupid… we couldn't provide for her. So we decided to give her up for adoption. It broke my heart but it was the right thing to do. Her parents are great people; they let me see her every time I come back to visit my ma and sister since they live in Boston, and I can see that that little girl is their entire world". There was pain in his voice, like this wound never really heal completely.

"So, this is your biggest regret? Having her and not be able to keep her?" she asked softly, her eyes couldn't leave the face of that beautiful girl.

"No, my biggest regret is losing my ex-best friend. How could I regret the most beautiful thing I've created in my life?" he answered. Rachel looked at him dumbfounded: she didn't see the link between losing his best friend and the baby. But Puck put her out her misery when he said "The mother of the baby was my ex-best friend's girlfriend. I wanted to tell him as soon as she found out she was pregnant but she said that she would swear that the baby, our baby, was his and that she didn't want a loser as father of her baby". He clenched his jaw at the mere thought and, with a bitter laugh, continued "Of course, he found out. He punched me in the face, broke up with her and told us that he didn't want to see us anymore. He was my best friend since we were 3, every single moment of my childhood and adolescence is linked to him. With time, we tried to fix things but it was just… unfixable. You know?".

The only thing Rachel could do was nod. She could see that it was still a sore spot for him and, when she asked him the initial question, she didn't want to cause him pain. She glanced again at the photo and said "She's beautiful, though. She looks like you". Her voice was soft and caring and did wonders to calm Noah's nerves: he was scared shitless that she thought that he was a back-stabbing bastard. And he told her just that "Don't you think that I'm an asshole?", with uncertainty in his voice.

Rachel smiled at him and said "Noah, I'm not going to change my mind about you. I'm not going my judgement to be change for a mistake you made in your teenage years. You're not that person anymore and I'm not in the right position to judge you. I made mistakes too when I was younger". Puck laughed because he really couldn't picture what kind of big bad mistakes could she have done. She was too sweet. So he snorted and said "Rach, walking through the hallways without a pass isn't really a huge mistake".

Rachel was momentarily taken aback by his statement and retorted "I sent a girl who would threaten my lead in the glee club to a crackhouse – it was abandoned but she didn't know that; I was suspended for ballot-box stuffing because I wanted Santana to win for senior class president and I almost got married with my high-school boyfriend. I'm not perfect, Noah. I'm far from it".

Puck was speechless; he couldn't believe that she did all these things. It seemed so out of character of her. "The almost marriage doesn't count…you didn't get married in the end" was the only thing he managed to say.

But Rachel shook her head slightly and said in a soft voice "Oh, no. That count because I would have gone all the way with it. It was my ex who stopped it. It was the day I left Lima for New York: we were supposed to get married that day. I had my white dress in the car and a suitcase with some of my things, he wore his tuxedo and made me believe that, in a couple of hours, we would be husband and wife. But, instead of the Town Hall, he brought me to the train station and made me leave for the City because he said that we were too different and that he was dragging me down: I have always known what my future would be while he didn't had a clue about his; he didn't want me to put my life on hold because of him. I never cried that much as that day. But it was the best thing for both of us: I'm here, working my way to achieve my dream, and he found his way too. He joined the Army and he's waiting his first child with his wife. I even met her; she's lovely and they are an adorable couple."

Noah asked her shocked "You kept in touch with him? After he basically left you on the altar?!". He couldn't understand that: he and his baby mama could barely be in the same room together, let alone keep in touch. But Rachel smiled slightly and said "I hated him for the first couple of weeks but then I understood that he did what he did for me; because he cared so deeply about me that didn't want to see me in a life I thought I wanted but that wasn't really suited for me. And I can't thank him enough because of that. He was the first person who made me feel visible and loved. I think he will always have a special spot in my life".

Her gaze fell again on the picture of Noah's biological daughter that was still in her hands and said sweetly "You didn't tell me what her name is". A smile appeared on his features and answered "Beth".

"Like the Kiss' song?" Rachel asked with a big smile. He bobbed his head and added "My ex-best friend wanted to call her Drizzle. I mean, come on! Drizzle? Sounds like the name of one of Santa's reindeers!". The woman burst in a loud laugh and then he kept talking "I was in a sort of glam rock loop at the time and, when I heard it, it just kinda fit. You know?". He finally shrugged his shoulders.

She looked at him, nodded and, looking at the picture, she sang in a whisper " Beth I know your lonely and I hope you'll be alright…" and that drew a small smile out of him.

She stared into his eyes and said "It's a beautiful name and she's stunning. She's going to be a heartbreaker". She winked at him and laughed when he mumbled under his breath "Don't say this kind of shit, Rach! I'm already trying to convince Frank and Denise to lock her in her room until she's 50, but they shrug it off and laugh! She has Puckerman's genes and we Puckermans are a hot bunch… They totally underestimate our hotness and I don't want Beth to be the twisted fantasy of some teenage fucker!". But she replied "I'm more than sure that she'll manage just fine. Don't worry."

She put her hand over his, squeezing it lightly but, when she was starting to move it away, he hold onto it and intertwined their fingers together. She blushed and smiled coyly at the sensation of their hands linked: his hands were warm and his callous fingertips drew invisible patterns on the back of her hand.

Puck grabbed gently her chin and she was force to take her eyes' off of their hands. "Want to take a walk?". She only nodded happily and, after a couple of seconds, they were already standing and saying goodbye to Loreen and Michael, who made them swear they would be coming back more often to see them again.

Noah put his hand on the small of her back and led her out, in the cold winter New York evening

* * *

Noah was looking out of the cab's window with a sleeping Rachel resting on his side. She fell asleep while they were in the subway, so he decided that it was for the best to continue their trip back home in taxi. The more he looked at her, the more he thought she was the most adorable woman ever. A cute pout made her lips look even more plump and tempting and the way she sighed and then wiggled against him drove him crazy. For the first time in years, he thought that it would be awesome to spend the night with a woman in his arms even without fucking her, and that meant a lot coming from him. He didn't cuddle, like ever. He was a please-machine: he sealed the deal (at least a couple of time) and then he got the fuck away, quickly. Never at his and Sam's place because he didn't want crazy chicks to stalk him.

But with Rachel everything was different; she was different and Puck had decided that he would just go with it. It was like he wanted to keep her safe from the rest of the world and feel her always next to him, her body pressed to his. Gosh, he sounded like a pussy! Don't get him wrong: he was still a fucking stallion, the only different things were that now the only woman he wanted to fuck senseless in every flat and vertical surface was Rachel and that he had feelings for her (which was a huge freaking deal for him). He wanted to hold her hand in public, hug her and scared shitless the other pricks who dared to make a move on her, make her laugh and kiss her until their lungs begged for air every time he wanted to.

The cab stopped in front of Rachel's place and Noah was forced to wake her up. "Rach, Rachel. Wake up. You're home" he whispered, shaking her lightly. She squeezed her eyes tight and yawned making cute high-pitched noises. Puck couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face: she was too beautiful and cute for her own sake.

"Come on, sleeping beauty, I'll walk you to your apartment" he said before telling the driver to wait for him. They got off the cab and opened the building's door. Rachel wasn't still much awake and she was leaning on Puck until they arrived in front of her apartment's door.

She dig into her purse until she found her keys and put them in the lock, turning it open. Then she turned on her heels and hugged Puck tightly and whispered in a sleepy voice "You are amazing man, Noah Puckerman. Thank you for today, I will never forget it". Before break the embrace, she kissed the corner of his mouth and then went inside her place, waving goodbye for one last time.

Puck leaned his forehead on the closed door and breath heavily from his nostrils. It was becoming harder and harder not to kiss her until their lips would be swollen and this time would had been the perfect opportunity. After he calmed his shit, he started to walk down the hallway and glanced one more time at the door, before stepping into the elevator.

* * *

**What do you guys think? Let me know writing in the white box below!**

**Up next: the first of the two holiday's chapter!:)**


	8. Chrismukkah is all around

**Hi, my dear! **

**4 days had passed so it's time for another chapter! This is the first one of the 'holidays' chapter! I want to thank The O.C., but mosty importantly my teenage dream Seth Cohen, for introducing me to the awesomeness that is Chrismukkah! I really hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing them!**

**Another thank you goes to all of you who faved, followed and REVIEWED my story! You are a miracle to me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't owe Glee, Magic Mike and The O.C. *sniff***

* * *

****Puck was eating breakfast when Sam came in the kitchen, his phone in hand. "Did Rachel write to you too this morning?". Puck straightened up and stiffed immediately before, almost angry, said "What the hell does it mean 'write to you too'? Since when do you write to each other?".

Ok that the dude was his friend and all, but it didn't suit well with the mohawked man that they were writing to each other: Rachel was his and Sam knew that! Well… actually he had never said that to him directly but the blonde was the most perceptive of them two so he knew that Trouty Mouth knew that Rachel was his, somehow at least.

Sam looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow and an amused smile and replied "Does it bother you that much, uh? Am I that threatening? I mean, I know I'm handsome and polite and it would be totally normal if she decides to upgrade her interest from you to me". The scary growl that escaped from Noah's lips made Sam decide to cut the crap. He wanted to have children someday. "But worry not, my friend, this is the first text she has ever sent me. And, if you had checked your phone first thing this morning, you would have seen that probably she sent the same message to you too" said the blonde before making a strange face and adding "Which is kind of weird 'cause now you live with the thing glued to your side…".

He barely finished to talk that Puck bolted to his bedroom and took his phone in his hands, acknowledging that he actually had a message from Rachel.

**From: Rachel* "The pleasure of your company is requested for dinner in celebration of Chrismukkah Saturday, December 22****nd****, Berry&Hudson mansion. R.s.v.p. by Dec. 19****th****."**

Noah laughed out loud at the message. The chick was crazy and he totally dig it!

He didn't hear Sam coming in his bedroom and sitting on his bed. "So, how does she knows that I'm not going to Tennessee for Christmas this year? I've only decided it yesterday". The blonde looked pointedly at Puck, who just shrugged and said nonchalantly "I told her. We were talking about my plans for the holidays and I said that I was going to stay and have to Sam-proof the kitchen before you decide to destroy it again cooking the Christmas' Eve dinner. We all remember the Christmas disaster of 2009, don't we?". With the mouth agape, Sam defended himself "It wasn't my fault if the oven took fire! And I totally got better since then! You can't hold it against me!". "Dude, did you just quote Britney Spears?" laughed Puck loudly, making Sam huff and cross his arms in front of his chest annoyed.

As soon as Puck calmed down a bit, he asked "So what do you want to do, Samantha? Because I'm going", at which Sam muttered in a feminine voice and with a knowing smile "Of course he's going. His Rachel invited him". Puck narrowed his eyes and the blonde gulped and said quickly "Yes, I'm in". Noah started to key a text to Rachel while Sam got up and went out of the bedroom.

**To: Rachel* "Babe, me and Trouty Mouth r game. C u soon**"

He sent her the message and got ready for the gym. After a while, the phone went off, signalling a new message.

**From: Rachel* "Noah, you and Santana should refrain yourselves from calling Sam like that. He already told you that he doesn't like it. However, I'm really happy to know that the two of you will take part of our Chrismukkah extravaganza. You won't regret it! See you soon and take care of yourself"**

He already explain to her how to write with fewer words but she didn't seem to understand the whole concept of it.

He smiled thinking about the brunette and went to the living room ready to leave. They have to meet Finn at the gym in half an hour.

* * *

"Can I talk to you one second?" Finn asked to Puck, after they were done with the weight-lifting and since they were about to take a break. Puck glanced at his friend, nodded and said "Sure. About what?". The tall one seemed very serious and he was wondering what he wanted to know. Finn answered just saying "Rachel".

Sam looked at the two and fake-coughed before saying "You two go ahead. I have to go somewhere…You know… do things, see people… but I'll see you two at the bar in awhile, ok?". And with that, the blonde left the other two talk about serious things.

Puck frowned at Finn and asked "What's with Rachel? Is anything wrong? Is she okay?". The tone his friend used made him worry and think that something happened to the petite woman. But Finn patted his shoulder and told him not to worry, that she was fine.

They seated at the gym bar, drinking Gatorade, when Finn started to talk "Listen, this is weirder for me than for you so let's just make it quick. What are your intentions with her?". Puck raised an eyebrow amused and, leaning on the chair back, replied "Didn't know you were one of your fathers".

Finn frowned at him and stated "I might not be one of them but I'm her brother and I don't want to see her suffer because of you". It was Puck's time to frowned at Finn's words but, before he could utter anything, Rachel's brother started to talk again. "Listen, I'm not saying that you will hurt her or something. I see how you act around her, how you're all protective when she's with us. I'm not the brightest crayon in the box but I see that you care about her. And this is confusing the crap out of me because you bragged about your sex shark reputation and the fact that you don't do relationships since the first day I met you and I let you know that you can't play that game with her. She doesn't deserve to be played, she deserves to find someone she can trust. So don't give me smartass answers or hidden insults. I want an honest-to-God answer. What are your intentions with her?".

Puck passed her hands through his Mohawk and sighed heavily. He looked the tall and answered "You want the truth… I like her, a fucking lot; she makes me want to be a better person, for me and for her because she says all this things about me being so much better that what I think I am and stuff like that. Since I met her, I'm changed: I do not fuck around with the clients and I keep the flirt at minimum because it just feels wrong now. But I can't promise you that I won't hurt her because I'm a fucked-up and this is a totally new territory for me: the last girlfriend I had was back in high school and it just lasted for a couple of months. The only thing I can tell you is that I'll try my hardest not to ball this up. I don't want to fuck this up".

Telling Finn this stuff was a huge deal for Puck but he felt like he owned an explanation to the tall man. After all, Rachel was his sister and he was just looking out for her. He would have done the same thing for her sister Becca.

Finn nodded thoughtfully and finally added "I trust you, Puck. But if you and Rachel start dating for real, I'm gonna keep an eye on you. Only one wrong move and I won't hesitate to tell her: I've never lied to her and I'm not going to start because of you. As I told you in the text, if you hurt her, Santana and I will make your life a living hell". The only thing that Noah could do was nodding in agreement; all the things Finn said were quite fair so Puck didn't feel the necessity to object. The last thing Finn said before Sam joined the two at the table was "You and Rach make a cute couple", making Puck mumble under his breath "We ain't no cute. We're fucking hot", which made Finn laugh out loud.

Sam sat down next to his friends and glanced at the two. They seemed quite relaxed now so he took the conversation about Rachel went well: he did a mental not to ask Finn what they said to each other when Puck wouldn't be around (Excuse him but he was curious as a cat; it wasn't an everyday event that Puck would talk about his feelings so his curiosity was totally justified!).

The blonde looked at the tallest one and said "So, today Rachel sent us the invitation for the Chrismukkah's dinner. Who are we going to be there?". At the word 'Chrismukkah', Finn's eyes shone with excitement and answered wit a big smile "Yes, I know she sent the texts this morning! For now there will be the four of us, Santana, Brittany and Rachel's co-worker Quinn. Usually there would be our fathers too but this time they won't be there because they are on the Rosie O'Donnell's cruise. I know she sent the invitation to another friend of hers and his father, Blaine, Mike, Artie and Mercedes too but I don't know if they will come yet. Since Schue decided to close the club from the Christmas' week to the second week of January, I don't know if they want to visit their families". It was unheard that Schue had decided to close the strip-club for such a long period so they were all pretty happy about it.

Puck looked at Finn and, with a smirk, asked "Man, why do you celebrate Chrismukkah? I thought that you celebrate only Hanukkah, since your fathers are Jewish". But the tall man shook his head lightly and said "My dads are Jewish but my parents were Christians. So, once I decided to stay with them, they decided to celebrate Christmas too, in their memory. And Rachel adores the Christmas' atmosphere, which makes me remember…" he eyed both of his friends with a knowing grin "Are you free tomorrow afternoon?"

* * *

Santana was lying on her back on the couch, sucking a candy cane and inspecting her manicure.

She was not going to be dragged in all this Christmas' fever that every year would transformed Rachel in a small Jewish Santa's helper: she already has Quinn as an ally in all this craziness and she was more that enough.

In that moment the two were almost done with sticking some sort of snowflake-shaped stickers on the windows and the Latina was confident that, by the end of the day, that place would appear as if a north-pole elf had puked in it. The two woman had already moved the coffee table in its appointed spot and cleaned it clear: on it, they want to put it the 4'2" plastic artificial Christmas tree that was gathering dust in their little basement. But the thing was too heavy for them to bring to the apartment so they were waiting for Finn to do it.

Santana rolled on her stomach and looked at Rachel, who was now putting the menorah at the centre of a shelf, in between two poinsettias, and sighed heavily. Rachel rolled her eyes, sensing her best friend's glare, and said "What's wrong, Santana?".

"I'm bored out of my mind, Rach!" the Latina whined and kept going "I came here today because I thought that we would have fun, not transform your place in Santa Claus' fucking home!". The petite diva laughed and looked at her best friend in amusement "Tana, I told you that we were going to decorate the house today. I did not lie to you" but black-haired woman replied "Yep, you told me that but I thought it was like a secret code for 'We're gonna start decorate but after 2 minutes we will start to drink egg nog laced with vodka until we pass out and forget about all this holiday bullshit'".

Quinn laughed from a chair but kept taping red glass Christmas balls on the ceiling. On the other hand, Rachel went next to Santana and, after making her sit up, took the place next to her, hugging her sideways. With a soft voice, she said "I know that you don't like Christmas time because it makes you think about your parents but I just want to create for you new memories that will ease your pain". At that the Latina hugged the petite woman completely and put her face in the crook of Rachel's neck, mumbling "I know, Rach. Thank you" and sighing. The moment was broken when a deep voice said from the door "Well, I had a dream that started just like that".

Rachel turned around without breaking the embrace and smiled brightly when she saw Noah, who returned it just as bright. "Hello Noah! What are you doing here?" she asked gingerly while Santana separated herself from the other one, letting her get up. Puck looked quickly at the door and said "Finnocence asked me and Trouty Mouth to help him bring the Christmas things up", moving towards the table to put down the box he had in his hands.

He had just put down the box when he heard a light slap on his back. He turned around with amusement in his eyes and, standing there, there was a murderous-looking Rachel, who said with a strict voice "What did I tell you about using this kind of nicknames, Noah? It's very disrespectful towards your friends". Santana decided it was her turn to speak and make fun of the newly-arrived man. "Yes, Noah" the Latina said in a sugary voice and emphasising his given name "You should really stop it!" but Puck's replied arrived quickly "Shut it, Satan! Like you're the one who can talk!". Rachel slapped Noah's chest as soon as he uttered her best friend's nickname and that drew a laugh out of Quinn, Santana and Puck, who grabbed her wrists and, still chuckling, said "Stop the violence, woman!". Rachel huffed and looked away from him; however, she felt her wrists being dragged behind his back so she was hugging him and, in mere instants, he was hugging her too. She leaned her head on his chest and sighed feeling his thumbs caressing the back of her neck. "Hi, babe" he whispered against her head and kissed it.

Santana huffed and said "God, they're too sickeningly cute. I don't know how much of it I can handle sober. Why they can't just fuck already and put us all out of our misery is beyond me. Rach, where's the vodka we started the last time we saw Titanic?". "In the kitchen cupboard where we keep the candies" said Rachel, glaring at her friend. After a couple of seconds, Quinn cleared her throat, catching Rachel's attention. The brown-eyed woman broke the hug and said "Noah, do you remember Quinn, right?"; the blond waved at him while he answered "Of course. How are you?". Like that, the two started to exchange pleasantries until they heard a commotion at the door.

"No, wait! It won't pass if we put it like that. Let's try… Ouch!" Finn's voice said and, right after, Santana's laugh trilled in the house. She was watching the scene from the kitchen door and she couldn't help but laugh. "Guys!" she finally said "It's not a fucking Baobab tree! The thing is smaller than Rachel, for fuck's sake! How can you two have problems in making it pass through the door? It doesn't take a freaking genius!". Finn glared at the Latina, who just stood there, leaning on the kitchen door with a shit eating grin on her face. "Why don't you help us if it is that easy?" asked the tall man, looking at her, but her answer was "And why would I do that? It's like the funniest thing I saw today, as sad and depressing as it sounds".

5 minutes (and many, many laughter from Santana), the two man managed to take the small tree in the living room, next to the coffee table.

Sam was so busy thinking about the tree that didn't even notice the blonde beauty who was eating him with her eyes but Rachel did so, as soon as the tree was settled, she put her hand on his shoulder and, indicating Quinn, she said "Sam, let me introduce you my colleague and very good friend of mine, Quinn Fabray. Quinn, this is Sam Evans; he's one of Finn's co-workers". The two blondes shook hands and looked into each other's eyes: she had a flirty smile and bat her lashes for good measures while he was looking at her with a dopey smile.

Rachel decided to leave the two alone to get to know each other a little better and walked towards the box that Noah brought in, grabbing the lights that she would put on the Chrismukkah tree. She was untangling the lights when Noah's voice caught her attention. "You're a really bad Jew, B" he said with a playful tone. Rachel laughed without diverting her attention from the tangled lights and asked amused "Why is that?". He sat on a chair and looked at her with a raised eyebrow "A Christmas tree, Rach. Really?".

Rachel stared at him like he was talking nonsense. "The Christmas tree is hardly a Christian symbol nowadays. It's more like a symbol of the consumerism of this festivity and ours is going to be a Christmas tree and a Hanukkah bush at the same time. It's only fair that we celebrate Finn's religion and roots as well, since he's part of the family". After that, her smile grew wider and asked "And do we have to talk about the cheeseburger with double bacon you ate at the Williams' diner?". He got up with a wicked smile and whispered in her ear "Never said I was a saint, babe". Mirroring his smirk, she looked at him through her eyelashes and said "Neither did I". He licked his lips and stared at hers; he wanted to kiss her so badly! But still with the smirk on her face, she turned and resumed her previous work.

He walked towards the couch and sat next to Santana, who extended to him the carton of egg nog, without saying a word. He accepted it and took a swing on it, almost spitting it out because it was basically vodka with just a splash of egg nog.

Santana laughed out loud when he told her, coughing "You fucking crazy, Lopez? A notice would have been nice!". Wiping a tear, she uttered "Puckerman, stop being a pussy! There are already too much estrogens in this room thanks to the two Malibu Barbies, Finnessa and Berry…". "And who the hell do you think you are?" he said laughing and gaining a glare by the Latina, who said back "Bitch, please! My balls are bigger than yours, that's for sure!", pointing at her boobs. He looked at the Latina's goodies and tilted the carton at her before taking a new sip at it.

He turned his head just in time to see Rachel stretch to reach the top of the tree: her ass was in perfect sight. He roared and passed his hands on his Mohawk, closing his eyes in frustration. Santana looked at him with a grin and then stated "Yes, her ass and her legs are her best features. I don't know how you didn't die of blue balls yet. How long is that you have a boner for Berry? Three months? I thought that you would already tap that sexy ass by now. Thank God I didn't put my money on it or I would be broke!". Puck couldn't take his eyes off of Rachel but he answered the Latina with a soft smile "I'm working on it". Santana sized her new friend and nodded with a knowing smile "Good. Must we repeat the whole 'you hurt her, you'll have to change your name to Noemi' speech or we're good?". The two badasses looked at each other and Puck said seriously "Don't worry". Santana smirked and clapped her hand on his shoulder before getting up and helping her best friend with the decorations.

Puck got up as well: he realised that it was quite late and that it was better for him and Sam to leave, if they wanted to get home and grab their things before going to work. "Evans, we have to go" he said to his friend, whose eyes became sad at the realisation that he wouldn't see Quinn until the Chrismukkah dinner (she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen… and she seemed so sweet!).

Rachel looked at Noah with a small pout (that he wanted to kiss away) and said with a sad voice "Don't you want to stay for dinner? It's only fair after your help". He sighed and looked at her chocolate eyes "B, I'd love to but we have all the things we need at home and, if we want to be on time, we have to go".

They said goodbye to the girls and, when Puck hugged Rachel, he asked her "See you Monday, right?". She smiled and answered "Of course, Noah". She led them to the door and waved them goodbye before closing it.

* * *

If you asked Puck, that day just sucked ass.

For the first time that winter, it was snowing. He liked snow per se, but today he had things to do and people to see (especially people to see) and the snow made everything more complicated. He almost fell a couple of times on the icy sidewalk and he had to slalom his way to the JCC, while trying to avoid the pointy umbrellas, held by hurried pedestrians.

Once he arrived at the JCC, he was kind of frozen and all he wanted was a cup of steaming coffee for warming up a bit but he found out that the coffee machine was broken. He dragged himself to the large room where the children were waiting for him but, that day, they were kind of hyper because of the snow and it was hell to control them all. When they quieted down a bit, he started his lesson but, seated next to him, there was a boy with the flu and couldn't stop sneezing on his hand; Noah just breathed in and out very deeply and tried to go through the lesson, remembering to himself that his day would definitely get better.

When the class was over, he leaned his guitar in his case with extreme delicacy and got ready to go to the diner to see Rachel. Only thinking about it put a smile on his face. He opened the door of the centre and froze on the spot when he saw a familiar face.

"The fuck are you doing here, Trouty Mouth?" he said dryly. Sam smiled widely at him and said "I coming with you at the diner" but Puck shook his head, replying "The hell you're coming! Listen, today was the shittiest day of the month and you're this close to make it become the worse of the year. So now you're going to drag your ass back home or to the gym or wherever the fuck you want and leave me the fuck alone". But the blonde just clapped his hands on his best friend's shoulders and said "Dude, you told me that after your lesson here, you always go to the diner where Rachel works. So, if I come with you, I can see Quinn again, since they work together!".

Since Sam met the blonde beauty, he couldn't stop talking about her, at the point that Puck wanted to punch him in the face every time he opened his mouth. Ok, he got that she's stunning and his friend is stupid for her but he didn't have to know that she smelled like violets and sunny days and her eyes were green on the outside and brown around the pupils. He got it the first 3 times… He didn't need a daily reminder.

So, as the good friend he his, he gave Sam a death glare and started walking. It was the longest walk in the history of ever, during the which Sam wouldn't shut is large trap for a fucking second. He had to clench his fists in order not to punch his face. As soon as he walked in the diner, he was a bundle of nerves.

Rachel heard the bell over the door ring and she knew that Noah was arrived. She went out the kitchen and was surprised when she saw Noah with a pissed face and, behind him, a very happy Sam.

"Hello to the two of you" she said with a tentative voice, eyeing at the two men in front of her. Sam happily replied and hugged her tight, watching the counter to see if there was any blond head in sight. His eyes shone when he saw the kitchen door open but they stopped when he saw a woman with red hair, a bucket in one hand and a mop in the other. She started to clean the floor frantically and Rachel told her friends "Why don't you go sit? I'll be there in a couple of minutes, ok?". Sam nodded and walked to a free booth, leaving Noah standing there. He glared furiously at the blond man before he started to walk in that direction too but, as soon as he made the first step, Rachel's tiny hand grabbed him by the arm and stopped him. "Noah, are you okay?" she said with concern but he just smiled and nodded unconvincingly. She raised on her tip toes and kissed his cheek before going in the kitchen.

The petite woman arrived a couple of minute later with a tray with three cup of coffee and an equal number of pieces of cake and sat in front of the two men. Sam was like a child high on sugar: he talked non stop for the majority of Rachel's break and the more he talked, the more Puck got angrier. The woman knew about the blonde's crush on her friend and she wanted to have time alone with Noah so, when she noticed Quinn at the counter, she told Sam "Sam, could you kindly do me a favour and ask Quinn if she could bring us more coffee? I would greatly appreciate it!". Sam ran out of his seat, leaving the two good-looking Jews alone, at last.

"What's wrong, Noah? And don't tell me that everything is fine because I won't believe you" she said with a soft voice. He looked at her in the eyes and, after a big sigh, started to tell her all about his tremendous day. "And at the top of it" Puck continued "Malibu Ken arrives and ruin the best part of the day by being here". Rachel smiled and asked "Really? Is this the part of your day?" and Noah nodded smiling before adding "Babe, this is our thing and I don't want that to be ruin by anyone, let alone him", indicating his best friend, who was making Quinn laugh. "I just want to be with you".

Rachel's heart had never beaten so fast in her entire life; she knew he was talking about their Monday meetings but she couldn't help herself from hoping that he was talking more in general, about having a real relationship with her.

She grabbed his hand in hers and said "Me too. But I'm confident of the fact that, if you talk to him about that, he will understand and leave Mondays just for ourselves". He was staring at his hand entrapped between her soft ones. Talking to her… no, just being with her was all it took to transform the worst day ever to a beautiful day.

He nodded and smiled at her. She flashed him a huge smile and said "You see? It's much better when you stop sulking. You're stunning when you smile". That made him smirk and say "You think I'm stunning, Berry? You so have the hots for me!". As response, Rachel rolled her eyes with a playful smile on her face and got up saying "My break is over and I have to go back to work!". She was walking towards the counter when she felt Noah's arm around her shoulder and, a couple of instants later, he whispered in her ear "If it's of any help, I have the hots for you too". That made Rachel blush furiously and smile of relief. She looked at him through her eyelashes: his hazel eyes were looking at her intensely and a goofy smirk featured his beautiful face.

When they arrived next to the counter, she hugged him tight and nuzzled her nose against his chest, making him laugh. "See you guys Saturday at dinner, then?" she said after she broke the hug grudgingly. The two men nodded, said goodbye to the two women and stepped into the slippery new york streets.

Sam talked all the way home about Quinn but Puck didn't give a damn about it this time: he was too elated by the fact that he finally knew for sure that Rachel liked _liked _him and that he told her that he felt the same way.

The day that Rachel Berry would become officially his had never been so close and he couldn't wait for it to finally happen!

* * *

**Sooooo... what do you guys think? I'm very curious to know that so, please, review it! :D**

**Hope you enjoyed your reading and see you soon! **

**Up next: The Chrismukkah dinner and New Year's Eve!**


	9. Merry Chrismukkah And A Happy New Year!

**Hi marvellous people!**

**Thank you very much for the support you're showing me by favouriting, reading and REVIEWING! You are amazing and kind-hearted and I can't thank you enough!**

**Hope you'll like this chapter too! (I was drooling while writing about the food, because that's basically what I usually eat on Christmas! -with the exception of the Jewish specialties)**

* * *

Rachel was working frantically to get everything ready. She wanted the evening to be absolutely perfect: the living room was flawlessly decorated and the gifts for their friends were lying under the Chrismukkah tree, waiting to be unwrapped later that evening. Finn helped her set the table and three candles were burning gently on it, just like the menorah on the shelf. As background music, Frank Sinatra was crooning some Christmas songs and, from the window, you could see the snow falling silently. It was like one of those perfect holiday houses and Rachel was pretty proud of it.

In the kitchen, she was pre-heating the oven so, as soon as the guests would arrive (everyone she invited except for Artie and Mercedes, who decided to spend the holidays in Chicago with his family) she could put in it her vegetarian lasagna, with spinach, cheese and béchamel and small vegetarian latkes were already waiting in trays on the table, ready to be eaten as appetisers. Sam told her that he would bring along the second course because he wanted to help her with the dinner, since she was so nice to invite them to celebrate Chrismukkah with them. In the morning she did her infamous sufganiyot with vanilla and chocolate cream (her bubbe's recipe) and a sweet lemon roll to eat as desserts.

Everything seemed in the right place so she decided to finally think about herself. She went to her bedroom and she started to do her make-up. When her eyes were smoky enough and her cheekbones were accentuate nicely by the blusher, she dressed herself in a long-sleeved short red dress that fit her like a glove. Finally, she put out of her hair the hair rollers that made her hair extra curly and combed it with her fingers. She stepped in her black stilettos and, as a final touch, she put strawberry gloss on her lips.

She wanted to be perfect as well tonight. For Noah. She wanted to sweep off his feet and leave him speechless. After what he told her at the diner, she couldn't stop thinking about it. He told her that he liked her! She knew that there was something more than just a simple friendship but knowing, for sure, that he liked her that way too was so overwhelming… She had a smile on her face since that day and it couldn't be erased.

She also knew that he was really trying to be a different man for her: Finn told her how his behaviour changed since they met, how he seemed more aloof with the women at work; and she deeply appreciated it. He was proving to herself that he was a worth-trusting man, that he wouldn't play with her heart just to toss it aside as the first bimbo would come in sight.

So, she decided that tonight she was going to let him know. Let him know that she felt the same way with real words: not supposition, or small flirty glances… She was going to tell him fair and square. The adrenaline was rushing through her veins and she could wait for it.

She stepped out of her bedroom and went to the living room where Finn was fixing up the last things. He lifted up his head and smiled fondly at his sister. "Rachie, you're stunning" he said, opening his arms to welcome her in a hug. After a few seconds, the two siblings broke the embrace and the woman straightened the knot of his tie and replied "You're very dashing yourself, Finn. Where are the Yamaclaus?". Finn pointed a basket next the door where a dozen of little fluffy red kippah with white pom-poms on top were lying; the petite woman clapped her hands together happily and ran towards them. She grabbed one and put it on the back of her head, giving one to Finn too.

The doorbell rang and Rachel rushed to the door, opening it with a big smile and saying "Merry Chrismukkah!". Brittany and Quinn replied enthusiastic at the greeting, hugged the host and marched their way to the living room to greet Finn and put down the gifts they brought under the Chrismukkah tree.

Santana, on the other hand, stayed on the door with a wicked smile. "What's wrong Santana?" asked Rachel a little bit worried but Santana quickly answered "Oh, nothing's wrong about me. I just hope that you have the EMT on speed dial 'cause when Puck is going to see you like this he's going to choke to death". Rachel laughed out loud and stated in a flirty voice "Don't worry, Tana. I know how to do the EAR, if the occasion arise".

"Wanky!" laughed the Latina but her smile turned into a frown when the petite woman put a Yamaclaus on her head. "No, Rach, not this thing again!" whined the black-eyed woman but the host quickly shushed her best friend by saying "It's not Chrismukkah without Yamaclaus, so you're going to behave and keep it for all the evening, okay?". Santana nodded reluctantly and mumbled her way to the living room.

Next to arrived to the dinner were Kurt and his father Burt. Kurt's mother died when he was a little boy and the two had become each other's rock since then: their relationship was marvellous. Burt would go every December to New York to spend Christmas with his beloved son, while his new wife would spend Christmas with her son in Tampa, and they were always been a lovely presence at the Berry-Hudson's Chrismukkah's extravaganza. He became a very dear friend of Rachel and Finn's dads and they even spent a couple of days at each other's house every summer.

Just a couple of minutes later, the doorbell rang again and, much for Rachel's joy, it was Blaine at the door. The woman was planning from a couple of weeks to introduce the short man to her soul sister. According to her, they would be absolutely perfect for each other and have so much in common: they were both polite, sweet and good-hearted and shared the same passion for music (Blaine was studying Drama and Musical Theatre Writing at Tisch and would graduate in the spring too). Sure, Blaine's favourite artists were more like Katy Perry and Maroon 5 instead of Barbra, Celine and Judy Garland but it could have been worst.

So, after introducing Quinn to him, she led Blaine towards Kurt and his father. "Kurt, Burt, let me introduce you Blaine Anderson. He's one of Finn's co-workers and he's studying at Tisch. Blaine, these are one of my dearest friend Kurt Hummel and this gorgeous man is his father, Burt. Kurt studies with me Musical Theatre at NYADA and Burt was a member of the Congress last year and owes a tire shop in their hometown" she said with a proud smile "I'll leave you to mingle".

Rachel walked through the room as everything was normal but, as soon as she stepped out of it, she hurried to her brother in the kitchen and stage-whispered "You have to drag Burt away from Kurt and Blaine". Finn looked at her amused and said "Why would I do that?" but Rachel looked at him as if he had lost his mind "Because they have to get to know each other alone! C'mon, Finnie… do that and the Chrismukkah's miracle will take care of the rest. I'm sure of it!". The tall man sighed, said "Fine! I'll do it…" and walked out of the kitchen thinking about how could he take away Burt from his friends.

The petite brunette opened the door when she heard the doorbell rang again. She welcomed in the house a very good-looking Mike Chang and gave him a Yamaclaus to put on his head too. "I saw Sam and Puck arriving too…are we the last ones?" asked the Asian man, giving his coat to her for hang. Rachel patted his back and said "Yes, but don't worry about it. Now that I know that we're all her, I'll put the lasagne in the oven and dinner will be ready in 20. Go in the living room and try my latkes in the meantime".

After hanging Mike's coat, she came back in the kitchen, took the lasagne out of the fridge and opened the oven. She was bent forward to put the lasagna in it when a very familiar voice said in a growl "Oh, fuck me". She closed the oven and turned around just to see a flabbergasted Noah and a smiling Sam staring at her. Noah was speechless and couldn't stop looking at her whole figure.

"Merry Chrismukkah, gentlemen!" she said happily and very aware of Noah's eyes on her. Mission accomplished.

"Merry Chrismukkah to you too!" said Sam with a wide smile "I think I can speak for the both of us when I say that you're beautiful, Rachel!". "Thank you very much. You two are just as handsome" she kindly replied and eyed the trays in the men's hands and asked at the blond "What did you prepare?". Sam beamed at her and proudly said "Chicken rolls with cheese and mushrooms. For you, instead of chicken, I used tofurkey… They're still warm but, before we serve them, it's better if I warm them over in a pan. Is it okay for you?". Rachel took the Tupperware containers and put them in a table. "Not a problem at all. I wanted to thank you so much for being so considerate about my diet, Sam. And for taking care of the second course. You are amazing" she said with a smile, which grew bigger when he blushed and giggled at the praise, "Please, go in the living room and try my latkes. I want your opinion on them! And don't forget your Yamaclaus!".

After Sam left the kitchen, she looked amused at Noah, who was still in his previous position staring at her. She went closer to him and put her hand on his forearm before saying "Noah, are you feeling alright?". "Fuck, B… your dress…" he managed to utter with a strangled voice.

What the hell was happening to him? He was Puckfasa, for fuck's sake. No way he would turn like a twelve-year-old boy who just saw his first pair of boobs just because Rachel was fucking amazing in that dress. When she was leaned on the oven, he had the greatest view of her ass… and you could bet your house that he would make good use of that image later that night when he would be alone in the privacy of his room.

Rachel was trying her hardest not to laugh at his response and asked coyly "What's wrong with my dress? Don't you like it?". Puck stared at her eyes like she was out of her mind "You crazy, babe? You're smoking hot! I just…I…". He really wanted to say something but his brain didn't want to cooperate at the moment: Rachel Berry made a babbling mess out of him.

She got closer and whispered in his ear and said with a low sultry way "Very good because I put it on just for you". That definitely caught Puck's attention but he was so stunned that the only thing he could do was watching her (and her glorious ass) walk away. He breathed deeply a couple of times and tried to regain control of himself.

After a couple of minutes, he walked in the living room and Finn introduced to him Kurt and his father and the blue-eyed man said "It was about time that they introduce us, Puck. I heard a lot of things about you" with a smile. Puck smiled and said back "I hope only good things" but Kurt shrugged and replied "Well, some were said by Santana so…". At that Puck couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder and, when he turned around, he was met by the sight of a stunning petite brunette with what it seemed a red fluffy kippah in her hands. "Noah, you have to wear the Yamaclaus!" she exclaimed and pointed at the one that she had on her head. He grabbed the item with a big smirk and asked "A what?". She huffed and started to explained "A Yamaclaus! A yarmulke mixed with the Santa Claus hat. It's the official hat of Chrismukkah so you have to wear it!" but he was still looking at her with amusement in his eyes. Then he said "You know that women do not wear the yarmulke, right?" but she replied pronto "Actually, it's not entirely true because women could wear it during some prayers. However, even if the kippah is manly worn by men, women can wear the Christmas hat without a problem. The Yamaclaus can't be questioned, just loved so put it on and shut up!"

She was about to turn on her heels and go to the kitchen but Puck was faster than her and grabbed her by the arm. She looked at him in the eyes while he, without breaking eye contact, got closer. "I definitely have to thank you for the dress, babe. I really, really appreciate it" he said in a low voice that made her shiver.

They were so close that they could feel the other's breathing on each other's skin. She licked her lips subtly and her eyes fell on his lips. She smiled and asked him "Good… Should I wear it more often?". He released a guttural laugh before answering "Babe, if you want to make me happy, then you shouldn't wear any dress at all". Rachel looked at him from under her eyelashes and grabbed her bottom lip between her teeth but she had to look away when the timer went off and she had to rush in the kitchen and take care of the food.

The dinner was flawless and the atmosphere around the table was bubbly and relaxed. The time flew very fast and, in a blink of an eye, they were relaxing on the couch and they were unwrapping the gifts: Rachel and Finn made a point to buy something, even if it was small things, to everyone so no one would feel left out. Rachel and Puck sat side by side on the couch with his arm around her shoulder. He liked feeling Rachel's weight next to him, hearing her laugh and feeling her eyes on him every know and then. He could definitely get use to the feeling; the realization made him smile so he held her tighter, kissing her temple. She blushed at the action and squeezed his thigh in acknowledgement.

When no one was paying attention to them, Rachel took his hand and led him to her bedroom. Once they were inside and she closed the door, he said cheekily "You want to take advantage of me, B? I'm not saying that I would be against it but I really hope you're not loud". At that, Rachel laughed out loud and smacked his chest before saying " Noah! You're deplorable! I just wanted to give you your present", but Puck furrowed his eyebrows and replied confused "You already gave it to me". She shook her head and, while opening a drawer, said "That is from both Finn and myself. This is just from me". She handed him a small box with a little card attached.

He smiled down at the present and opened the little envelope, pulling the card out. In Rachel's loopy hand-writing there was written

"Dream until your dream is true. Merry Chrismukkah. Rachel"

Rachel was standing there with a smile on her face and her hands linked together while he untied the ribbon and opened the little box. In the box there was a dark blue guitar pick with black streaking. Puck took it in his hand and turned it over; on the other side there was engraved in silver "Wish You Were Here". It was the most thoughtful present anyone ever gave him.

She asked him tentatively "Do you like it?" but he could utter anything because of the lump in his throat so he just nodded with a small smile. She took a step towards him "You told me that when you were little you wanted to be a lion tamer, an astronaut and a rock star. And a guitar pick is better than a spacesuit or a whip". He could argued about the whip but decided not to break the moment between them. Instead, he said with surprise "You remember?" and received the warmest smile ever as an answer and she added "I remember everything you tell me".

He took a step towards her too and caressed her cheek sweetly, making her head lean at the touch. Her hands fisted his jacket and they heads were getting closer and closer. Finally, the moment had come and they would share their first kiss. With eyes closed, they were millimetres apart when…

"RACHEL!"

He grunted and leaned his forehead on hers while she sighed in frustration and tightened her grip on the jacket. "Shit" he said "Cockblocked by our own friends". She was laughing dryly when Quinn's voice yelled for her again so she yelled back "COMING!". She let go of Puck's jacket and walked to the door but stopped abruptly. She turned on her heels and looked at him right in the eyes "I just wanted you to know that…I really like you, Noah. It's not even funny how much I do", flashing him a small smile and disappearing down the hallway.

Puck sat down on her bed. Shit, he wanted to kiss her so bad! He could practically feel her lips on his that much they were close! He looked down at the guitar pick in his hand and smiled again. This girl… HIS girl was fucking amazing. She believed so much in him, it made his heart swell with pride.

He put the guitar pick and the card in his wallet and dig his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket, gabbing a slightly larger box than the one she gave him. Even if he contributed in the present they gave her earlier that evening, he brought her a little something on his own too. He leaned it on her pillow and got out of the room, switching the light off.

* * *

Rachel and Finn just finished to clean up the living room after the dinner. The guests had left about an hour earlier and everyone had a blast. Like every year, the Berry&Hudson's Chrismukkah's party was a success and the woman was really happy of that!

However, Rachel couldn't consider herself plenty satisfied because she didn't kiss Noah and she really wanted to. If it wasn't for Sam who spilled his drink on the carpet, they would have kissed and she would be in a bubble of blissful happiness (but she wasn't mad at him because he didn't do it on purpose, poor Sammie…he looked so sorry, he was too cute to be mad at him!). And now, she would have to wait for New Year's Eve to see him again because the next day he would leave for a couple of days: he promised his mother and sister that he would visit them and wanted to spend some time with Beth and her parents too.

She wished Finn sweet dreams and went in her room, ready to put on her fluffy warm pyjama and sleep for the next twelve hours but, when she switched the light on, she noticed a box with a card on her pillow. She took the card and opened it; it was from Noah.

"When I saw it, I thought of you. And, as a person once told me, 'metaphors are important'… N"

She smiled reading it because it meant that he remembered everything she told him as well.

She put down gently the card and picked up the box, unwrapping it slowly. Once she opened it, she couldn't believe her eyes: a silver thin necklace with a star-shaped charm was resting on dark blue velvet. At the centre of the star, there was a little crystal Swarovski that shone bright under the light.

She was speechless: it was absolutely beautiful.

She gently took it in her hands and fastened it around her neck. She looked at her reflection in the mirror while passing her hand over the necklace; a warm smile appeared on her face. The smile grew at the mere thought that Noah linked her to something so perfect.

Rachel took her phone in her hands and, after settling on the bed and fixing her hair, she took a picture of herself with the necklace on to send him with a message attached.

**To: Noah "Thank you so much for the necklace, Noah. It's stunning and, I'm sure, quite expensive. I really would had loved anything from you. Thank you again and have a save journey XO"**

She got ready for bed and buried herself under the blanket. She was about to fall asleep when her phone went off and she grabbed it to read the message.

**From: Noah "Babe, u got it wrong. It's not the necklace that's stunning but u. Def fave pic ever, will keep me warm while I'm away. Can't wait 2 come back and c my Jewish American princess on ny's eve. Sleep tight, B"**

That made her giggle and blush like a high school girl. They exchanged a couple of text before she fell asleep with an happy feeling on her chest.

* * *

Sam and Puck entered in the crowded club and started to looking for their friends. They were running late because Sam had a clothes' emergency. He wanted to be perfect for Quinn: they met a couple of time that week and the southern man wanted to get lucky tonight. Not that he deemed the blonde woman as 'easy' or whatever but he could feel that she wanted it too. So he put an extra effort that night: he wanted to be irresistible.

Puck didn't have the same problem. He would be smocking hot even wearing a trash bag so there was no problem. He waited for the blonde for at least half an hour and that made him want to punch him in the face: because of Sam's white girl problems, he was running late for his meeting with Rachel. While he was away, the two wrote to each other quite often and he couldn't wait to see her again.

The two men scanned the crowd until they spotted Finn, Mike, Tina and a girl they never seen before next to the bar. They made their way towards them and greeted them. Tina introduced them to her friend Marley, who was making moony eyes at Finn. She seemed like a very shy girl but she was cute, with big blue eyes and long brown hair. Puck immediately noticed the absence of Rachel so, looking around the club, asked to his friends "Where's Rach?". The only one who answered someway was Mike who poked him in the ribs and, when he had his full attention, pointed at the dancefloor. Puck tried to focus on the spot that Mike was pointing at but it was a blur of heads. Finally he spotted her: she was dancing with Santana and Brittany and was laughing. She was fucking beautiful.

He made his way to the small group (which included Quinn, Kurt and Blaine too) and, from behind, he put a hand on Rachel's hip. She stiffed at the touch, thinking that one of the many drunk guys there was trying to make a move on her, but relaxed immediately when Noah's rough voice said "I had almost forgot how fucking hot you are, B". She smiled widely and turned around to face him and hug him. They held into each other and, while they were entrapped in the embrace, she kissed his neck, making him shiver in pleasure.

He waved briefly to the others and then turned all his attention to the petite brunette who was smiling at him. The music was deafening and the only way to communicate was to speak next to each other's ear (not that they were complaining… it was just another excuse to be closer). "I'm so happy to see you again, Noah!" she said excitedly and passed her hand on his neck while she broke the hug. However he didn't let her go, wanted to feel her as close as he could, and asked her "Missed me that much, babe?", lingering next to her and nuzzling his nose on the shell of her ear. Rachel closed her eyes at the touch and, when the contact disappeared, she re-opened them and, grabbing her lower lip between her teeth and smiling, she nodded at him. She raised on her tip-toes and asked back "What about you? Did you miss me?". Her hands were resting on his pecs and that was making the thinking very difficult for him. So he just nodded smiling, caressed down her spine and held her closer while her arms found her way back around his neck and they let the music wash over them.

They were moving on the beat of the bass: their hips in sync, hands roaming each other's body. Their eyes were entranced into the other and this, added to all the touching, were driving the two insane. Even when they weren't dancing, they were linked to the other in some ways. The only moment when they were apart was when she went to the restroom with Santana.

The Latina looked at her best friend from the mirror and smirked. "So, are you going to fuck him senseless tonight? No, fuck that…are you going to make it home? Because, from what I'm seeing tonight, you two are so close to rip off your clothes right on the dancefloor it's insane!"

Rachel's eyes were out of her socket at her friend's statement and her mouth fell open before saying "It's none of your business! I'm not going to say anything about that to you and I resent the fact that we were going to jump on each other in the middle of the dancefloor! I admit that it was quite… heated but we're two adults and we are more than capable of self-restraint" but Santana laughed out loud and replied "Bitch, please! You're talking to me and I know you. I know horny Rachel and tonight you're basically on fire for how much you're turn on!". The petite brunette glared at her friend and resumed to put gloss on her lips, making the Latina scoff and say "Come on! Just tell me! I deserve to know it!". This made Rachel laughed incredulously but the Latina kept talking despite her friend's reaction "It's like written on the bestfriendship's rule book", which was met by the other's question "Is there a rule book? But most importantly, did you read it? Because, if I'm not mistaken, the last time you read an actual book we were like sophomore in high school".

"So not the point, B!" Santana pointed at her with her lipstick "I have always told you when I was going to fuck someone… well, before Brittany. Fuck, even now I still tell you sometime when I'm going to fuck her!" she said with a wicked smile. Rachel promptly replied "Yes but without any demand from my part!" and looked at her best friend, who was now pouting, in the eyes. So, she rolled her eyes and answer to the initial question "I don't know what's going to happen tonight. Let's just say that if he would offer me to spend the night with him, I would probably say yes" but jumped when her friend yelled next to her in victory. "I knew it! I FUCKING KNEW IT!" she rejoiced "You totally have my blessing and I told you: you need to get laid and he looks like one hell of stud in the sheets. So go for it and have fun. And I want details tomorrow!".

"Santana!" Rachel reprehended her best friend "stop being so rude, uncouth and nosy! You're better than that!" and then mumbled under her voice "And he didn't ask me anything yet so…". The Latina looked at her confidently "Hon, worry not. I know how he thinks but, most important, I know what he thinks and believe auntie Snixx when I say that he already thought about ripping that little dress off of you with his teeth at least a bazillion times in his head. Seriously, I'm shocked that he didn't fuck you already!".

At that Rachel took her head in her hands and shook it slightly: how the heck did she end up being friend with Santana?! She was still questioning it when she felt the arm of said friend circle her shoulders and gently direct her out of the restroom. They were almost reunited with their friends when the black-haired woman told her "B, you're stunning and he is one lucky bastard. You know that I have you back anyway, right?". The petite woman looked in her eyes and nodded with a soft smile, receiving a soft peck on her forehead. "Satan, paws off my girl!" Noah's voice said jokingly and Santana laughed, raising her hands in defeat, and walked towards Brittany, not before winking at her best friend.

Puck's arms went immediately around her waist and settled there comfortably while her hands were caressing his lovely arms. "Your girl, Noah?" she said at him, trying to contain her excitement for the revelation; he smirked at her and replied "Babe, we're not in second grade so I'm not going to ask you to be my girlfriend because it's fucking lame. But I like you, a whole fucking lot, so yeah, to me, you're my girl". Her smile was bright as the sun but decided not to answer with words, she grabbed his face and kissed him; she didn't even care that their friends (her brother included) were right there. She just wanted to kiss him.

His lips were so soft she would have sleep on them if she could. She granted him entrance in her mouth and he slid his tongue inside, stroking against hers leisurely. She felt his grip tighten and he dragged her even closer, if it was possible. Her hands went up on his arms until they found the perfect spot in the back of his neck, playing with his short hair and keeping him in place.

Puck thought he was in heaven: Rachel's plump lips tasted like strawberry and her tongue was smooth, gently battling against his. The way she was playing with the end of the 'hawk sent shiver throughout his body.

They kissed until their lungs begged for air and, when they had to stop, he rested his forehead on hers, the both of them breathing heavily. They didn't even realise that the countdown had started, but, when the clock marked midnight, Rachel caressed his cheek and told him with a warm smile "Happy new year, Noah". He sighed deeply and smiled back, saying "Seems like is going to be an awesome one!". They nuzzled their nose against each other's and were about to kiss again when a very happy and drunk Brittany tackled them and yelled "Yay! Puckleberry is on! Lord Tubbington was totally right! This is going to be an amazing year!". Rachel laughed out loud at her and hugged her tight "Happy new year, Britt Britt!".

For the rest of the night, they were the only thing that mattered to each other. They were in their little bubble and had no intention to get out of it! It was like they were meeting for the first time, getting familiar with every move, every reaction and so happy that, even when they were kissing, they couldn't help but smile.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and took a look at it: apparently Sam accomplished in his task since he was going to spend the night at Quinn's. Puck looked at Rachel in the eyes and said "Come home with me tonight", but she laughed and asked "Is it a demand?". He shrugged his shoulders and replied "It's an invitation 'cause I want to spend the first night of the year with my fucking hot girlfriend. We could just sleep if you want to, even if it would be my fucking death. I don't want to force you doing anything you don't want to, you're fucking important to me".

She stared at him in awe, her boyfriend (boyfriend?! God, she couldn't believe it! She was so happy! Her heart couldn't stop beating fast in her chest at the mere thought of it!) might not be the most polite man ever but he seemed pretty perfect for her. So she said "First of all, you should really stop cussing so much. Second" she passed her index on hi chest "we don't want you to die, do we?". He grabbed her face and, before kissing her until their lips would turn red, mumbled something about how friggin' awesome his girlfriend is.

* * *

**They're finally together! Did you like it? as Christmas' gift, I would really like to know your opinion about it so... review! ;)**

**Last but not least: I wish a very happy and serene Christmas to you all and your families! Buon Natale! Feliz Navidad! Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël!**

**XOXO**


	10. You And Me

**Hi everyone!**

**Sorry for the delay but those days had been absolutely hectic. I ate so much that I have to roll to move from place to place! So, I really hope that you enjoyed the festivities as much as I did ;)**

**Thank you so much for your AMAZING reviews: I loved them and I love you, kind souls, too! Thank you so much to everyone how read, faved and followed the story too! You really make my days!**

**Warning: In this chapter there is a little bit smut but, since is the first time that I have ever tried to write that, I don't think it came out as good as I wish it could. So let me know if you think I should give up on writing smutty part. I would really use some other opinions!**

* * *

The two said goodbye to the ones who were still at the club (Rachel tried not to blush at the knowing glances that Santana and Kurt were throwing at her but she failed miserably) and went outside, looking for a cab. Hands never separated, they got in the first one available and started caressing one another, looking forward to arrive at Puck's place. Her hands moved up and down his inner tight too much closer to his crotch, making it twitch in anticipation, while she was nuzzling her nose against his neck playfully.

She tried to suppress a moan when he started to whisper in her ear all the things he was going to do to her once they arrive at the apartment, but he heard it all the same and, with a shit-eating grin, he started to kiss her teasingly: at first, sweet lingering pecks on her lips, then he licked slowly her upper lip, begging for entrance. She slightly opened her mouth and sighed contently at the sensation of their tongues intertwined. Every time they kissed, it was fireworks; they never experienced something that powerful with anyone before.

Finally the taxi pulled in front of Puck's place and the two walked in the building hand in hand, with their fingers stroking against the other's; they were so worked up that, as soon as they were alone in the privacy of the elevator, they were kissing each other eagerly. Their hands were roaming on the other's body and moans could be heard, coming from the little space.

"Fuck, baby" he groaned after she brush lightly the bulge in his pants "You're so fucking hot. Shit, can't wait to have you". She smiled with her eyes closed and against his lips "You already have me"; she trailed a series of hot kisses starting from his lips and down his neck.

He tried to regain a little bit of self-control or he would take her right there and right now and he wanted to take his time for make her come undone. He inhaled deeply before saying "B, you're making it fucking harder for me…" but he was immediately interrupted by her, who said "Well, that's my main goal". So, don't blame him if he lifted her up on his shoulder and hauled her towards his door, when the lift dinged and its door opened.

Rachel was giggling from her position and wiggled trying to free herself. "Rach, if you don't stop moving I can't find the right key, open the fucking door and fuck you until you walk funny" he said to her and cursing under his breath when he put in the keyhole another wrong key. By the time they walked in the apartment (well… he walked. She was being manhandled without major complains), her giggles turned into a full laugh, because of the excitement, the nervousness and the fact the he was hilarious when he couldn't find the right key: he really showed her that he could be quite creative with his curses (don't worry: she would talk to him about the negative aspects of the usage of a foul language later; at the moment, she had a more important matter in hand…almost…).

He marched to his bedroom, put her down on his soft mattress and looked at her. They still have his coats on! So, he took off his and then helped her with hers, throwing them both on the floor.

She was looking at him in all her beauty: her strapless pink dress showed her long toned legs and her eyes where shining in anticipation. She rose on her knees and, without breaking eye contact, she unbuckled his belt and slit it from the dark jeans' loops. After that, her hands travelled north, starting to unbutton his shirt; she could see his hazel eyes turn darker and darker in lust and his tongue dart out of his mouth to wet his dry lips. When the last button was released, she helped him get rid of the shirt and started to kiss his chest: soft loving kisses were left on his pecs and abs. It was breathtaking how beautiful he was.

She had her hands on his hips in between his boxers and jeans, making the denim slide down to his ankles, when she felt the zip on the back of her dress being slid down. She got up on the bed and let him take her dress off of her, leaving her in her black lace lingerie with thin pink ribbons to recall the dress. At the beginning of that evening, she had hoped about this ending but she wouldn't bet on it: however she decided to put on the last items she purchased at Victoria's Secrets and try her luck. Guess she made the right choice!

Quickly Noah got rid of his shoes and socks and took the beautiful woman in his arms, resting her on his bed and under him.

"Perfect" he mumbled while kissing her collarbone "Fucking perfect"; that made her smile and sighed at the sensation of his warm lips on her skin. His hands worked on her back until he unhooked her bra; he took it off, setting free Rachel's breasts. His thumb passed on her right nipple, making it stand at the contact and his mouth followed right after, taking it in and teasing it with his tongue.

"Noah, don't tease" she moaned, her nails already digging on his shoulder and her legs brushing against his thighs. He laughed dryly at her reaction and left her nipple with a pop; he moved until he was looking at her face. He stared at her lips for a couple of seconds before diving in them in a passionate kiss, which was all tongue and teeth, as if they wanted to prove to the other how bad they wanted it to happen.

He was so entranced with the kiss that he didn't notice that one of her hand had left his shoulder and made its way down his torso. So he gasped in surprise when he felt her little hand grab his shaft, stroking it slowly. It felt so good that Puck had to really concentrate not to release his load; he rested his forehead on her shoulder while she attached herself at his neck, biting slightly, and kept moving her hand, driving him insane. His senses where full of her: she smelled and tasted like vanilla and strawberry, the skin was soft and warm under his hands, in front of him there where what it seemed miles and miles of perfect tanned skin and her moans and whimpers made it hard for him to focus.

So, he painfully stopped her hand and said in a low voice "Stop, babe. The first time, I want to be in you". Goosebumps appeared on her arms at his statement and the only thing that she could do was nod against his neck. After a couple of deep breaths, he kissed her sweetly for a couple of minute before moving south, leaving open-mouthed kisses along the way. He crooked his fingers on her panties' waistband and gently tugged them down. Fuck, she really was perfect. She was looking at him with messy hair, red lips and no clothes on and he was sure that he had never seen something so damn beautiful in his entire life. He got rid of his boxer too and made his way back to Rachel's lips, focusing on leaving hot kisses especially in her inner thighs, just next to her core. He heard her moan loudly and her hands went to his mohawk, caressing it.

He was hovering her when she said "Condom…Noah, where are the condoms?". He moved until he was able to reach the nightstand and opened the first drawer. He grabbed it and slid it down his length before sliding into her easily.

She gasped at the sensation of fullness that pervaded her, whispering hotly his name in his ear, while he had to stop his movements. "Shit, B!" he tried to say in the calmest voice possible "You're so tight", but the more he stayed still, the more she grew impatient so she decided to take the matter in her own hands: she started to move her hips, making him hiss in pleasure. He laughed dryly and kissed her on her mouth as if his life depended on it before starting to move again. The pace started painfully slow, just to increase, making her toes curl and her back arch and, with her nails, she surely was tracing red marks on his back. She came undone first: eyes clutched, heart beating fast and his name on her lips like a yelled chant, but he was right behind her, falling after her into the oblivion.

She caressed his back softly, trying to soothe the marks she left and they kissed without hurry, brushing noses and smiling against one another's lips. He was the first one to really move; he slid away (making her growl… he almost went hard again at that; his girl was fucking hot like that!) and got up to get rid of the used condom.

When he come back in the bed, she was slightly shivering so he grabbed the comforter that was lying at the feet of the bed and covered them both, taking her in his arms as soon as they were under it. The little kisses she dropped on his neck made him smile and hold on her tighter.

"Babe, that was fucking amazing" he said in a low voice, making her laugh and blush at the same time. How she managed to be so fucking sexy and adorable at the same time was beyond him. "Yes, Noah. That was really beautiful" she replied with a sweet smile while her eyes were roaming his face. His eyes seemed practically green, his jaw was relaxed and, on his lips, a little smile lighted the whole room.

What they had just shared was something totally knew for Puck. Don't get him wrong… he knew fucking well what was that, he was a champ at that, it's just that usually, when he had sex with someone, it was angry: a series of bites and deep, strong, quick thrust. But this was gentle, and sweet, and not rushed. He had the insane feeling of protectiveness towards her, like she might break easily (which he knew it was bullshit because she was the fiercest person in this planet) and he wanted to be by her side and be her shelter in the fucking rain. (That's it… he officially lost his balls; if you wanted them you can look in her purse. They were together from a couple of hours and he was already turning in a pussy. And, as weird as it may sound, he was quite okay with it!).

He didn't even feel the need to run down the hills after fucking her. On the contrary, she felt so right in his arms, looking at him with a soft smile and whispering sweet nothing in his ear. He didn't want to let her go, like EVER!

He tightened his grip on her and rolled so she ended up on him, making her giggle against his chest. She put her hands flat on his pecs and rested her chin on them so she could look at him in the eyes. He was unusually silent so she said "One penny for your thoughts" with a smile, shivering when his callous hand started moving down her spine.

He smiled and said back "Just thinking about how fucking beautiful you are", laughing when she blushed furiously. As soon as he regained a little bit of control he told her "Babe, don't be shy. It's not the first time I said that to you. And it's not like I'm the first one that told you that you're beautiful", feeling a little uneasy at the mere thought of her with someone else. She bit her lower lips and replied "I know, Noah… It's just that the way you said it, makes it seem so true; it makes me blush every time you do it. With the others" she shrugged looking away from him "it felt more like they said it just because they were supposed to… that they didn't believe it for real".

His other hand rested behind her neck and his thumb stroked gently her cheek while saying "That's because they were pansies,"; she smacked him lightly when he said it but he continued "You need a man. And, lucky you, I am very much one. Or should I show you that again?". With a wicked smile, he made her slide on him and hungrily kissed her lips.

They went on and on until dawn, when they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

Puck woke up and stiffed momentarily when he yawned. He looked down at Rachel who was still asleep and smiled at the vision: her hair was ruffled, her long eyelashes were resting on the slightly red cheeks. The faint light coming from the window illuminated one of her side.

He caressed her cheek, making her sigh, wiggle in his arms and tighten her grip on his waist. Their legs were intertwined and her feet raised on his calf, stopping when she found the most comfortable position. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her sweet scent and closed his eyes again, deciding it was the best decision to go back to sleep.

However, someone decided that he had to wake up because his phone ringed from somewhere on the floor. He tried to slide away without waking Rachel up but it was pointless because, as soon as he got up to look for his phone, she rubbed her eyes sleepily and asked him in a low voice "Where are you going Noah?. He leaned down to grab his mobile and turned around in all his naked glory, wiggling his eyebrows and the item and making her laugh.

He started to come back in the bed while answering "Who the hell is it calling at the crack of dawn?!". A laugh was the answer of the caller as he laid down next to Rachel, letting her crawl back in his arms and kiss his ribs while he caressed her back. "_It can't be consider crack of dawn, Puck. It's two p.m.!_" Finn's unmistakeably voice said to the mohawked man, who frowned when he recognized the man. "Hudson! What do you want?" he asked; the woman at his side got up when he told her brother's surname forgetting her naked status so Puck totally missed his friend's reply because he was a little distracted by her perfect tits. She rolled her eyes and covered up with the comforter so Puck could say "Sorry, dude. I wasn't listening" and hear Finn's answer "_I said, is Rachel still there? I didn't hear from her yet and I started to worry; she usually calls me by now when she's away so I wanted to know if she was still there_".

He mouthed her 'he got worried' and she did a sad little pout but slapped his arm when she heard him say "You know she's fucking 22, right? Or were you afraid that she got lonely? Don't worry, I…". Before he could say anything else, she stole his phone and said "Hi Finn, I'm sorry if I didn't call to tell you that I was okay and that you shouldn't get worry but we overslept. How are you?". Noah kissed her shoulder and decided to go and eat something since he couldn't spend a lazy day in bed alone with his girl.

He walked his way to the kitchen, not before putting his boxer on (Sam already busted his ass several time about being commando in the house… if you asked him, it was because he was fucking intimidate by Puck's missile). He heard the faint rumour of the TV in the background, signalling that the blonde was home, so he decided to greet him with a "Why are you fucking here? Quinn threw you out of her place? Poor thing realized that you sucked in bed and kicked you in the balls and out of there?". Sam rolled his eyes and replied "Happy new year to you too, asshole. Thought that Rachel would make you better but I suppose it's like mission impossible"; Puck flipped him the bird and went to the kitchen to fix something for Rachel and himself to eat.

He was chopping fruits for a fruit salad when he felt a presence behind him. He turned and saw his best friend leaning on the door, sighing, and with dreamy eyes so he said "Dude, if you're crushing on me, sorry but you're not my type. Always preferred brunette anyway".

Without thinking, Sam said slightly offended "Since when? You've never been picky!"; that made Puck double in laugh and declare "I fucking knew that you have the hots for me! Should I put on a tee so you don't feel the urge to jump on my bone?". He moved just in time to dodge an apple that his roommate threw at him. Sam scoffed and asked "Why the hell can't I have a normal conversation with you about how I feel?" And waited for Puck's response, which was "It's because I'm a fucking dude and I don't do heartfelt conversation like all you girls; I really don't think I can handle all that high-pitched yells about how hot Justin Bieber is. If I wanted to hear that I would just go back to Massachusetts!". Sam crossed his arms in front of his chest and mumbled "Shut up… He's a great artist". Noah smirked amused at him and he refocused on preparing the very, very late brunch.

"However" Sam said seriously "Quinn is pretty perfect! She's funny, sexy, smart and…" but Puck interrupted him by saying "So why does she spend time with you?". He narrowed his eyes at his mohawked friend and continued "yesterday night… or this early morning, I don't know… it was incredible!". Noah nodded while still chopping the fruit and said "And this is why you're here and not at Quinn's place". The blonde's mouth fell open and said immediately "At least I got laid! The furthest you got with Rachel was sucking her face off! She really should put it out so you would be less of an asshole!".

Puck laughed out loud when a feminine voice yelled "Samuel Evans!". He turned around and grunted at the sight: Rachel was standing there in all her glory. The shirt he wore the night before came down to her mid-tights and the sleeves were rolled up so her hands would pop up, her face free from make-up (and fuck him if she wasn't still stunning!) and her long hair entrapped in a messy bun. All Puck (and big Puck) wanted to do was dragging her in his bedroom and go for another thousand rounds.

But the spitfire that was his girlfriend didn't have a clue about how he felt at the moment and kept chastising a speechless Sam "It was very rude from you to say something like that! I let you know that sex doesn't influence anyone's personality so much and it really shocks me the fact that you're talking in such crass manners! I would expect that from him," pointing at Puck "not from you! You should know not to objectify women and see us just as a way to keep you men satisfied! I thought you would really known better!". And like that Sam bowed his head, just like a very regretful child who was been scolded by his mother, and said "Sorry, Rachel". Rachel nodded seriously and stated "I forgive you, Sam. Sorry if I got mad but I expect so much from you too! You are very nice and polite man and I really wish you would keep acting like the gentleman you are, without any kind of misogynistic and sexist thought".

She kissed him in the cheek and flashed him a huge smile before walking to Puck and pecked him on the lips. She eyed the fruit salad and said "Is it for me?", beaming at him and making him smile back. He nodded and replied "Yes, babe. I was thinking about cooking omelettes too but I wasn't sure if you eat eggs", at which she answered "Yes, I do eat eggs. I also eat honey and diary, even if I tried to avoid the latter as much as possible because it's not very healthy for my vocal cords. Let me prepare the omelettes!".

Rachel settled next to him and grabbed the eggs he took out of the fridge and started to crack them. She turned to Sam and asked with a big smile "Would you like omelettes too?"; Puck didn't manage to turn fast enough to let his friend understand that he wanted to stay alone with his girl that the blonde already answered with an enthusiastic "Yes!" (Noah glared at him anyway and Sam poked out his tongue in response).

When everything was ready, the threesome set around the table and shared a lovely late brunch (Rachel's words, of course). The only thing that kept him happy was the way their legs were touching the other's under the table. When they finished eating, Sam proposed himself for clearing the table away and put the dishes in the dishwasher, so Puck could be able to drag her back in his room.

When he closed the door, he turned around and saw an amused Rachel, who said "Noah, I want to spend time with you too but we're being rude right now! What about Sam?". He walked the distance between them until his arms were able to slide around her waist and said "Don't worry for him: he will be fine even without us around and I prefer spending some quality time with you", nibbling lightly at her neck. Rachel closed her eyes and smiled feeling his mouth working on her neck while her arms settled on his shoulder, holding him tight in her arms.

"Noah, I should go home" she sighed, but Puck shook his head still in the crook of her neck and said "The hell you're going home today. You're completely mine for the day. And for the ones after". He raised her gently in his arms and her legs immediately went around his waist; he walked to his bed and sat down on the edge of it. Rachel was seating on his legs and the two started to share kisses but, as soon as Puck tried to move his hand from her thigh to her core, she stopped him.

"Sam" she whispered and his eyes grew wider before he could say with the calmest voice he could pull out "How did you just call me, Rachel?". She chuckled and told him "Silly. I was telling you that we can't do that because there is Sam in the house and I'm not going to have intercourse with you if there's a possibility that he could hear us. It's something I want to keep just for ourselves". "Come on, babe… We can try to be quiet" he said almost in a whine, at which Rachel rose one of her eyebrow and smirked and replied "Does this night teach you anything at all? We can't be quiet".

Noah smiled at her tightened his hold on her, fell backwards on the bed dragging her with him. He caressed her legs until his hands stopped on the perfectness that was her ass. "I say we can try…" he stated, entrapping her lips in a passionate kiss that reduced her in mush: he was very, very skilled with his lips (well, not only with his lips… let's just say that she was a very lucky woman!).

The kiss stopped and they looked into each other's eyes. He was mesmerized by how beautiful she was: her long hair was falling down, framing her beautiful face, and her eyes were so shining and deep that he could stare at them all day long. "Fuck, you're beautiful" he muttered, making her giggle and reply "Thank you very much. But I haven't change my mind". In that very moment, Sam knocked at Puck's door and yelled without opening it "I'm heading at Quinn's! See you soon, Rach!". Noah exulted silently at it while Rachel slapped him in the chest and yelled back "Bye Sam! Say hi to Quinn from me!".

When they heard the door closing, he grinned at her and said "Just you and me, babe" and she kissed him sweetly on his lips and whispered against them "You and me" before they rolled on the bed, laughing and kissing each other.

* * *

They were lying in his bed, her head on his chest while he was passing his fingers through her soft hair, lost in a post sex bliss.

"Noah?" she asked calmly "Would you sing for me?", making him stop and, with an amused voice, ask back "And why would I do that?". He loosened his hold on her just to let her turn to see him in the eyes. When she was settled, Rachel answered "Because you promised"; Noah chocked up an eyebrow but she continued "That night at the bar… You told me that the first time you were going to sing for me, it would have been a private show. And it just you and me now".

Puck rolled his eyes but got up nonetheless; he couldn't resist to Rachel's pout. He came back in a mere minute and sat down with the guitar on his lap, playing lightly with the strings. Rachel was lying next to him, her hands between her head and the pillow and her eyes glued to Puck's figure. He looked down at her and, with a smile, asked "Any request?". She barely shook her head and whispered "No. Surprise me".

His finger moved confidently on the strings, playing the first chord of "Sweet Caroline". He started to sing with a smirk on his face while Rachel was staring at him adoringly: his voice was beautiful. It was smooth and deep while he sang with ability the lyrics. The way he moved his hands on the guitar was decisive and gentle; you could really see that he was a real expert at it.

The woman found herself getting wetter: she knew Puck was absolutely charming but, the right moment he opened his mouth to sing, became irresistible for her. She bit her lower lips and rub her thighs against one another, hoping to hide her arousal.

When he stopped singing, he put down gently the instrument and looked at her with a wicked smile, asking "Did I make you hot, Rach?". The brunette rose from her position and straddled him, putting her arms around his neck, while his arms immediately went around her waist, dragging her close enough for their chests to touch. She could feel his dick twitch and grow under her but she had to say something serious before taking care of that, so she stated with a serious voice "You are amazing, Noah. You're voice is something unique and beautiful. I think of myself as a very lucky woman because you let me hear it so, thank you".

Puck felt her heart beating faster after what she said. No one had ever told him something like that about his voice. Not even his mother. Rachel made him really feel like he was one of the best thing on the fucking earth and, for the first time, he felt like, maybe, he wasn't so fucked-up like everyone thought, that he could do great things too. He wanted to be that person for her and was scared shitless to disappoint her: it broke his heart just thinking about it.

Noah felt like a lump in his throat so, instead of words, he kissed her with all the sweetness and devotion that he could master. He wanted to let her know how he felt about her since he started to realize that there was something more between them; even if he still wasn't ready to say it in words. And, even if they got together officially from a day, he wanted to tell that he was the best fucking thing that ever happened to him and he would fought tooth and nail for her, for them.

The kiss drew a smile in both of them and transformed itself in pecks and cute nose-nuzzles, that made them giggle like teenagers (yes… even Puck. When it came to his girl we would turn into a giant teddy bear. But he would deny it until the end of time).

She put her head in the crook of his neck and inhaled deeply after pecking it while he was kissing her lightly on her shoulder. They stayed like that in a content silence until he muttered against her skin "I promise I won't hurt you". She changed her position and took his head in her hands and replied "I know, Noah. I trust you"; but he shook his head forcefully so she had to drop her hands, which stopped on his chest.

"You don't get it, B. It's like sure that I will hurt you: I am a stripper, for fuck's sake! It has written 'hurt' all over the place. I've never had a real damn girlfriend so I don't know shit about what I am supposed to do and I will forget anniversaries or birthdays or stuff like that but, I promise you, that I'll try my hardest not to let it happen" he dropped his gaze because looking at her right into her eyes was too intense "I will do my fucking best to make you happy".

Rachel's eyes shone of unshared tears; she caressed his cheek and, after making him look back at her, said "You are one of the best men I know and I'm certain that you will treat my heart with respect. I swear I will do the same with yours, if you let me in. I know what type of man you think you are but, when I look at you, all I see is a kind-hearted , funny, caring man. And I trust you. Do you trust me?"

He nodded and attached himself to her lips again, this time deepening the kiss. His plan was to spend all day and night long making her understand that he was in for the long haul the best way he knew how, so he grabbed another condom ready for another round.

This year is going to be fucking perfect.

* * *

**Soooo... What do you think?** **Don't be shy 'cause, as I wrote at the beginning of the chapter, I would really use your opinion!**

**See you soon, darlings!**


	11. First Times

**Happy New Year, sweethearts!** **:)**

**Did you party hard on NYE? I really hope you all had an amazing night and an equally amazing first day of the year.**

**I wanted to thank all those wonderful hearts that wrote me a review (Your reviews really mean the world to me!). And thank you so much to every single one of you who read, reviewed and faved the story: y'all are a blessing!**

**So, to celebrate 2013, here a whole new chapter of my story! I really hope you'll like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything :(**

* * *

Three weeks into the new year, their little group was relaxing at the bar down the street from Finn and Rachel's place. It was like their hangout now and, almost every week, they made a point to meet up there and have fun together.

They became a sort of family. Before, yeah they worked together and really got along really well but they didn't see one another out of work very often (well… except Puck and Sam, for obvious reasons). But now, with the girls and Finn in their lives, they basically were together 24/7! Mercedes got along really well with Rachel and Kurt, stating that divas have to stick together; Brittany became very close to Mike (at the point that she started to help him choreograph their performances) and Sam, while Puck and Santana were a match made in hell.

Not to talk about the new romances: Sam and Quinn seemed just landed from the Golden coast all cute and all and they just marked the second day of their relationship; Blaine and Kurt were doing bedroom eyes at each other but, according to what Rachel told Noah, they just met a couple of times for coffee; Finn started to date Tina's friend, Marley, and they were still getting to know one another while Mike and Tina were basically fuck buddies.

Which leave us with the best of them all: Puckleberry (as Brittany kept calling them).

Being with Rachel was the most natural thing he had ever done; he couldn't even remember a time in which they weren't together and he definitely didn't miss it! They barely spent a night apart and on of his favourite thing was feeling her sleeping next to him with her arm around his chest, as if she didn't want to let go of him either.

Another of his favourite thing about her? Her laugh. Every time she laughed, he had to laugh too. She hated it because she said that this is not how a lady should laugh but, in his opinion, was one of the sexiest thing about her (after her legs, her eyes, her lips…).

But the coolest thing was that she totally understood him. She didn't push him to turn into something he wasn't; she embraced him for who he was, perks and flaws. "Noah" she said to him one day "I want you to be you. I don't want what you think is an improved version of yourself, because the one that is in front of me is quite perfect to me" (Obviously that ended in loud sex… Let just say that Sam had to put earplugs on – he finally talked her out of that nonsense of 'no sex while there's someone else at home'. He was a fucking stud like that.).

The same went for Rachel. Noah revealed himself to be the sweetest man she had ever met: he would leave the core of his Danish (the one with more chocolate) for her to eat because he knew that, even if she followed a diet, she was a sucker for chocolate Danishes. Or, when they weren't together, he would send her sweet messages to tell her how beautiful she was (and begged her, right after, to delete them or hide them in a file with a password because he knew that Santana had almost free access to her phone and didn't want to lose his status of BAMF). And after a long day at the diner, the only thing she wanted to do was cuddle with him on the couch.

Even Finn was getting acquainted with the idea of the two of them together and Rachel was very happy of his approval: her family's opinion meant the world to her. Noah had even passed her dads' test: she told them about him and, after a few question and with all that Burt told them from the Chrismukkah's dinner, they were very happy for their little girl. Of course, they told her that for a more deepened assessment they had to meet the man in person.

And she loved how they were silly together; like when they built a fort our of sheets in his apartment. It was the best fort she had ever seen: it took almost half of his living room and the two of them pretended to be warriors that had to protect the fort from the evil blonde dragon (Sam wasn't very happy of all the things the two threw at him while he was trying to watch TV). Or when they spend the whole afternoon rolling down a hill in Central Park and they ended up covered in snow. With him, she felt like a child again: happy and carefree.

Around the table, the air was filled with laughter and chatters until Santana spoke to say "Wait a minute, y'all! I want to hear the story of Finn's first strip!". The guys (minus Kurt) started to laugh like mad men while the girls were looking at them. The only ones who didn't seem happy were Rachel and Finn. "No! Please, guys, don't do this to me! She would never let me live on that!" begged the tall guys, while the Latina's eyes lit up even more and with an evil smirk added "Uh! Is it that bad? Do tell, right now or I'll go all LimaHeights on your asses!".

"Well, if you ask so kindly, who am I to tell you no? You see, that night…" started Puck but was promptly shut up by his girlfriend, who put a hand on his mouth and, with pleading eyes, told him "Please, Noah. If you care about me and my mental sanity, do not say another word!". Noah licked her palm, forcing her to take off her hand from his mouth and wipe it on her sweater while glaring at him, and replied "Babe, I think your mental sanity never actually existed but, hey, it's fine with me; I really dig your crazy!".

He turned to talk to Santana and the one that missed Finn's debut on stage when the petite brunette grabbed her drink, got up from her chair and started to walk away. Noah called after her and asked her where the hell she was going, receiving as answer "I'm going to the only person that still cares about me in this place" and, with a swish of her hair, she resumed her walk until she sat down on a bar stool talking to Tina. Puck tried again to get her attention but no "Rach" or "Babe" would make her come back.

He was about to got up himself and walk to her when Santana's voice said "Oh! Come on, Puck! She will be fine. She's just a drama queen. So sit your ass back down and tell me everything about that night!". He looked for a last time at his girlfriend and, with a deep sigh, sat back down and started his tale.

_The New Directions was packed and he already performed for the night. For all he cared, he was free for the night., so he walked to the main hall and flirted a little bit with the customers. He was talking with a redhead with very green eyes when he heard Finn's voice behind him; lately the tall one was like his fucking shadow so he wasn't surprised when he heard him call for him._

_So, Puck gently got rid of the woman and turned on his heels "Hudson, missed me already?". But Finn replied "No. Schue told me to stay with you and learn everything I need to know how to be ready to 'rock the stage'". The mohawked man shook his head, before saying "I don't even know why you're not already performing. When I was the newbie I was on stage after a fucking week. I know you're not a stud like me but c'mon! It's a month!". _

_He took a sip at his Jack Daniels On The Rocks and turned to the stage where Blaine was moving against a woman that was, at least, 60 pounds more than him. The short man decided to lift her up but, from his back, came a light crack and Blaine growled in pain. However he was nothing but a professional so he kept moving even if his moves were stiffed and induced him pain._

_Puck was laughing out loud at his friend on the stage: he always told him that he was too fucking tiny to do weightlifting but Anderson kept telling him that it was totally untrue. Guessed that Puck was right. _

_Finn and Noah's night continued smoothly until Schue dragged the two in the changing room. In it, Blaine was lying on his belly with a hot-water bottle on his lower part of his back. Artie and Mike were watching him with sympathetic looks, leaned on the wall in front of the door._

_"Puck, we have a fucking problem" stated the owner at his employee, gaining a raised eyebrow as an answer. So Schue continued "Blaine was supposed to do another number this night and I don't know what to do! He has to get his ass on the stage in less than two minutes but he can barely stand! Puck, you have to help me. I don't know what to do!"._

_Puck told him "Listen, I already did my two numbers this night. I'm not going back on stage. You go out there", but Schue kept talking "C'mon, Puckerman, give me something. I'm not going to hit the fucking floor!". Puck looked at Finn before saying to Will "You want me to do something?" and the owner answered enthusiastic "Fuck yeah, man!"._

_He suddenly grabbed Finn by his arm and started to run with a very confused man on his tow. "Puck, where are we running?" asked him but, without any warnings, Puck threw him in the middle of the stage. Finn froze for a couple of seconds, too shocked with the recent even, while the women hollered and yelled at him. On the background, the DJ put on 'Like A Virgin' remix version and Puck started to yell "Just start to take your clothes off! Walk out there and take your clothes off!". Finn glanced at Schue, who was now standing next to the console, and then at Puck, who told him "C'mon, you got that. Start, bro!". With hesitation, Finn started to unzip his hoodie and took a step forward, hearing Noah's laughter from backstage. _

_Still with a straight face, he started to take off his clothes: his hoodie and his tee. He was so embarrassed! He glanced once more at Schue, who nodded at him, and looked at the crowd in front of him. The women was clapping in time and yell in encouragement. _

_He took off his shoes and unbuckle his belt, letting it slide free from his jeans' loops. He took a more few steps on the stage before taking off his jeans too, leaving on just his socks and black boxer. The ladies started to yell louder and louder. Finally a small smile broke on his face while he turned and teased the crowd playing with the hem of his boxers; one last glance at his boss, who nodded in approval, and he lowered his briefs, leaving his ass bare for the crowd to see. _

_He covered his butt cheeks and turned, flashing a goofy smile at a woman with a pink sash and a crown. He got off the stage, sat on her lap and kissed her deeply. While her friends hollered, he moved his hand and grabbed the money that were resting on the table, putting them in his pants._

_After that, Finn was stopped by Schue's voice "Alright, alright! Give it up for The Kid, Ladies! And now, I want to hear you scream for our Blue Thunder!"._

_Finn waved awkwardly at the woman and walked away towards the curtain that led to the dressing room. As soon as he walked behind it, Puck, Sam and Mike started to clapped at him, making the tallest of them blush furiously. Puck grabbed Finn's clothes from the floor and gave them to him, patting his shoulder and saying "Wasn't that hard, uh?". Laughing, the hazel-eyed man started to walk away but turned around and told him "Oh, and your face when you stepped on the stage was fucking priceless. Wish I had a camera!"._

The table erupted in a loud laugh at Puck's story. Santana's wiped the tears that were about to come out from her eyes and patted Finn's back before saying "Well, well, well… Who knew you had it in you? I am really impress!". Poor Finn was hiding his head in his hands, shook it hopelessly: if his friends could see the colour on his face would see that it was almost burgundy red.

"Stop it, Tana" he muttered under his breath while glaring at his sister's best friend. But the Latina kept laughing and proudly took his face in her hands and patted his cheek gently. She said "Finnie, don't be shy! You finally grew a pair and you should totally be proud of you. Let's have another round in your honour!" and waved her hand to the waiter.

Puck got up and walked to Rachel that was sipping at her drink absent-mindedly and looking at Tina, who was mixing a drink with ability. He sat down next to her and dragged her stool very close to him and tried to kiss her cheek but she moved away. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, before saying "Babe, you can't really be mad at me!".

Rachel glared at him and replied "Oh, really? Watch me!", returning to stare to her friend with a stone-cold expression. Noah's eyes grew bigger and bigger; he couldn't believe that she was really that mad! He didn't do anything wrong; all their friend had fun while he was telling them the story.

So he asked her "And why the fuck is that?", which pissed her off even more. Her mouth open, she told him "'Why is that'? Did you really just ask me that? After you purposely ignore my request when I asked you, politely, not to tell my brother's first strip-tease, since it would make me and Finn very uncomfortable? I guess you would love to hear the story if the roles were reversed and it was your sister instead of my brother, right?".

Puck groaned at the mere though and tried to erase the image from his mind but Rachel continued with a sarcastic tone "Oh, I'm sorry, did the image disturb you?" and got off the stool. She barely made step that she felt his hand grab her by the arm to make her stop; however, she didn't turn around to face him.

With a pleading voice, he whispered "Please, Rach. Look at me". Something in the tone made her turn and the two looked into each other's eyes. "I'm sorry, okay. I was being an asshole but I didn't think it would hurt you so bad, I wouldn't had done it if I knew that" he said truthfully; her gaze dropped but his hands came immediately up on her face, grabbing it gently and forcing her to look at him. His thumbs moved slowly on her cheeks and he said "Please, don't fight over this anymore. I'll try to keep my assholeness at bay, 'kay?". At this, she closed her eyes and sighed deeply before leaning against him and hugging him, nodding against his chest. He kissed her head and whispered "I don't want to argue with my hot little Jewish American princess… So are we okay, now?". He flashed her a tentative smile and she rose on her tip toes and kissed him sweetly before saying "Yes, Noah, we're good. And thank you for apologising; it really means a lot to me". Puck held her tight and whispered against her lips "You're welcome" and kissed her passionately. A few catcalls from the other customers made Rachel put a stop on the kiss.

They smiled against each other's lips and lost themselves in the other's eyes until they heard Santana's voice "Puck, did she give you your balls back? Because, if you two lovey-dovey lovebirds are done with the arguing, me, you, Finnie boy and other Asian are in for play pool, now that that fuckers finally cleared the table".

He wasn't sure if it was a good idea: a part of him wanted to go play but the other one said that it was probably better to stay with Rachel and not piss her off even more; however Rachel decided to put him out of his misery. She patted his chest and told him with a smile "Go. Have fun. I just go back to the table and talk with Blaine about his classes". Noah stared down at her and asked "You, sure, B? It's not a trap or some shit like that, right?". Rachel deadpanned "Your vocabulary astounds me. However, no Noah. It's not a test or whatsoever. I just want you to have fun" and, after kissing his cheek and flashing him a warm smile, started to walk towards their table.

He caught up with her, slid his arm around her shoulder and kissed the spot behind her ear, making her shiver: he found out that it was one of the spot that turned her on the most. He smirked and said "You're fucking amazing, Babe" and walked to his other three friends just to turn and wink at her.

She smiled thinking about how much she was lucky: even if the one of that night wasn't their first argument, she knew that he was her perfect match. When she was with him she felt a funny feeling inside: her heart would start to beat fast at his mere touch and, in her stomach, thousand and thousand of butterfly would start to fly. She was like a 14-year-old girl with her first boyfriend and she was really happy that she hadn't ridicule herself because of that yet or she would just die of embarrassment. She shoot a last glance at where her boyfriend was taking a sip at his beer with a pool cue stick on his other hand (Good God, she was really one lucky woman. Her man was hot!) and started to talk with Blaine about his music theory class.

* * *

She got up trying to be as silent as possible. Noah arrived at her place with Finn around 4 a.m. and now it was only 7.30. Usually, on this occasion, she would love to spend a lazy Saturday morning with him, cuddling under the warm blankets, but the night before Kurt sent her a text.

**From: Kurt "Diva, I need to talk to you about a really important matter. You know what does this mean? See you there at 9. See you tomorrow, Barbra. Your, Judy."**

Her soul sister needed her help so her decision was made and she waved goodbye to her cuddling morning with her stunning boyfriend. She started to look for a dress, choosing for a cute black, red and white dress and her favourite black stilettos. In the bathroom, she combed her hair in a classy bun before rouge herself with a light make-up.

She entered in her bedroom to take her purse when she heard Noah say in a sleepy voice "Your spot's cold. Come back to me, Babe" but she sat down next to him and caressed lovingly his head "I have to go, Noah. Go back to sleep, I will try to come back as soon as I can and we can have the afternoon for ourselves, okay?". Noah seemed a little more awake by now and popped on his elbows and took a good look at his girl before mumbling "B, not that I am complaining because you're fucking stunning, but where the hell are you going dressed like this?", which made Rachel giggle and answer "I'm just meeting Kurt for breakfast". He raised an eyebrow and pointed at her "Aren't you a little overdressed for breakfast?" but she shook her head and pecked him on the lips "It's a tradition of ours to be dressed like that in these occasions. Now go back to sleep, you look tired". She pushed him gently down on the mattress and caressed his cheek, making him sigh contently. "I will wake you up when I'm back. Sleep tight, honey" she cooed, pecking his forehead and going out of her room, getting ready to face the February morning cold.

She made it to the appointment in perfect time. Rachel arrived in front of the massive granite building and looked out for her friend. He was waiting for her right under the emblem "Tiffany & Co." with a white paper bag and a carton with two cups in it. She waved her hand, catching his attention, and ran towards him. They kissed on the cheeks and Kurt extended her the carton, signalling with his head the cup with 'Rachel' written on it, and said "Soy non-fat cappuccino without cream for my favourite diva after Barbra, Celine, Patti, Judy, Idina and Kristin". Rachel laughed, grabbing her cup, and replied "Why, thank you very much for keeping me in your Top 10! I'm flattered. You're in mine too!". This make him giggle and extended the white bag, wiggling it a bit "As usual, Cinnamon rolls for me and chocolate pastries for you, milady". The woman dig happily in the bag and grabbed her treat, smiling broadly at her friend, who grabbed his roll and throw the paper bag and the carton in the nearest trashcan.

They stared for a couple of minutes at the magnificent window of the store before Kurt decided to face the reason why he wanted to talk to her "How can you trust him?". She chocked lightly with her drink and look at the stylish man, who was still looking at the jewellery behind the window and nipping at the cinnamon roll, and asked with a caution voice "What do you mean?".

Kurt turned to face her, sighed and said "I really like Blaine. He's my perfect match but I can't let myself trust him because of the job he has. I just can't picture my love interest being touch by someone that isn't me. So, I'm asking you, how can you trust Puck? And I want you specifically because we're basically the same and only you can help me untangle the mess that are my thoughts right now". Kurt stared at her while she was thinking at the most effective way to help her friend out.

"Well," she started "first of all, before being strippers, they are human beings and worthy to be loved like anyone else on this planet. The thoughts of other hands on my boyfriend hurt, a lot, but I can't do much about it. I'm not going to ask him to quit his job because of it, it wouldn't be fair; I knew what his job was when I fell for him and still decided that being with him worth every single stomach-ache that I have to face. Of course, it was a very difficult choice: you know my love past, so I really put very much thought in it. Pro and cons lists, charts, late night's inner soliloquies. But, in the end, he always won. And look at what I would be missing! He's amazing. So, to answered to your question, I trust him because I believe in us, because I love him. Don't hold back with Blaine just because you're scared to be hurt. What you could have with him, could be the greatest story of you life".

Kurt nodded deep in his thoughts; his friend gave him so much to think about.

After a while, he decided to speak again "You know what, darling? You're right. He's worthy. I mean, he knows my coffee order, has a similar high-school personal story as mine and have you seen how adorable he is with his little bowties? And we click so well together. It's just easy with him, you know?", looking down at the petite woman, who nodded at him smiling. He smiled broadly and hugged her tight before stating "You truly are my soul sister, Rachel Berry".

The two talked comfortably about every topic that came in their mind when, suddenly, he asked with a smile "Did you tell him?". Rachel gave him a puzzled look and scolded him "Kurt, you really should be more specific with your question, because it's the second time in a couple of hours that you did that and it's starting to be quite annoying", at which the flamboyant man rolled his eyes and reformulated the question "Did you tell Puck that you love him?".

Rachel's gaze dropped a little, making Kurt frown in concern, and she shook her head. Then she told him "No, I didn't say that to him yet, even if it was about to slip out a couple of time. It's just that I don't want to spook him and make him run down the hills. Ours is his first real relationship so I don't want to pressure him or scare him away. I'm trying to let him adjust to all of this before saying it. But I'm also waiting because I would really like to hear him say it back to me", the last part almost whispered.

"Oh, Hon! You shouldn't really worry about that" cooed Kurt "Even a blind man could see that the infamous Puck is madly in love with our own lovely diva. Doll, you tamed the wild stallion so don't worry about that" but the brunette shook her head lightly and replied "I know that he cares about me very deeply. He proves it to me every single day. And I'm also aware that he loves me but I don't know if he's in love with me the same way I am or, if he is, if he's aware of that". She shrugged and looked at Kurt, who smiled tightly at his soul sister and stated "Have faith, _ma chère_. He might surprise you".

He hugged her sideways and the two started to walk down the crowded sidewalk and back home.

* * *

They were spending a quiet evening at his place. As soon as she arrived at Noah's home from work, she changed into something more comfortable and, after a quick shower and dinner, they sprawled themselves on the couch, watching X-men (It was his turn to pick the movie).

Her head rested on his arm while he played with the end of her hair absent-mindedly. His other arm hugged her and he was caressing the strip of skin just above the hem of her yoga pants, under the shirt. Noah's gentle touch and the steady beat of his heart lulled her into a light sleep. She kept sleeping until he whispered "C'mon, babe. Let's go to bed", at which she nodded, sat up straight and rubber her eyes tiredly.

After he turned off the TV and check the lock, he took a step towards his room. Rachel was standing next the sofa and, when she saw that her boyfriend was giving his back to her, she couldn't resist at the temptation, so she ran and jumped on him, legs around his waist and arms around his neck. He laughed and turned his head slightly, feeling Rachel's lips leaving a light peck on his neck.

She left her position only once they were in his bedroom and she slid easily from behind him to the soft mattress. She crawled on it and settled with her knees in front of her chest and her back against the headboard, staring at puck, who was taking his shirt off.

He looked down at his chest and, after flexing his muscles a couple of times, stated "I could definitely be Wolverine! I mean, have you see my guns?" but glared at his girlfriend when she snorted and tried to hide her smile behind her cute hands. She said to him "Honey, your arms are lovely but you're not as built as Hugh Jackman and his physique fitted perfectly in the portrayal of Wolverine".

This affirmation made him cross his arms and raise an eyebrow at her before saying "Should I be jealous of him?"; she smiled at him and said "I always had a crush on him since I saw him in 'Kate and Leopold' and he's a Broadway performer: he won a Tony of his portrayal of Peter Allen in 'The boy of Oz'! He's in the cast of the film adaptation of 'Les Mis' and he's very talented and stunning. And… have you seen his guns?". Just as she finished talking, she winked at him, who started to crawl menacingly towards her.

She giggled at his behaviour and, to stop his advance, she put her foot right in his face, starting to laugh out loud. He stopped on his track, dumbfounded by her action; so he sat straight and grabbed her by her ankle saying "Really, Rach? Did you really just put your foot on my face?" but she couldn't answer for how much she was laughing.

"Well," he continued with a grin "I really want to see how your precious Hugh Jackass will save you from this!" and started to tickle her foot without mercy, making her squirm and laugh even harder. "Noah, stop! Stop it! Please! Noah!" she begged between her laughter and until she finally felt the tickling stop.

She felt herself being dragged on the mattress until she was totally lying on it and, in mere seconds, he settled himself over her and tucked one of her curl behind her ear. They stared into each other's eyes, Rachel still chuckling, until he kissed her sweetly on her nose and whispered "God, you're fucking perfect". She blushed and smiled, caressing his cheeks with a feather-like touch. That moment was pure perfection.

"I love you".

Her voice was small but firm. She knew how strong her feeling for him were and she really wanted to let him know.

But panic settled on her stomach when he was staring at her stunned, without uttering words. So she hurried to say "Y-you don't have to say it back. I completely understand if you're not here yet. Just, please, say something. You're scaring me".

Her eyes turned a little glassy. She ruined everything; she pushed too far and now he would tell her that their relationship wasn't something serious, that it was just fun and that they were just friend 'with benefits'. It was her fault if she read to much into it and fell for him.

Puck was speechless. No one had ever told him that he was love with such honesty (well, except for his mum and Nana… and sometimes his sister). And he never told anyone else those three words; he never felt that way for any girl before.

But then, here she came; a bundle of energy and positivity that swept him off his feet. With her big doe eyes, big voice and bigger heart, she turned his world completely upside-down, making him feel things for the first time in his life.

He kept staring at her and, suddenly, realised that she was getting misty-eyed, making him feel like shit for let it happen. So he descended to her lips and kissed her, sucking her lip gently. He released it and, opening his eyes, he said "I love you too".

Her eyes burst open and searched for any kind of confirm in his, before saying with hesitation "Really? Aren't you just saying that to make me happy?". He laughed lightly and answered "I kinda wanted you to be happy for that, since it's basically the first time I say it to someone else beyond the women in my family, but I definitely feel it". He watched her face turned from a sad frown to a huge smile and he felt himself puff with pride. He was the fucking shit.

Her arms went around his torso and she lifted herself up to kiss him soundly, so his arm slid between the bed and her back, making it easier for him to hug her. The kiss expressed all their feelings, full of all the love and passion they felt for the other.

With their lungs begging for oxygen, they broke the kiss and nuzzled their noses against the other until Rachel broke the silence "Well, if this is the outcome, we should talk about Hugh Jackman more often", making him narrow his eyes and smirk. He bit her nose lightly and, after gaining a slap by the petite woman, murmured "I'm totally better than him".

She smiled and stated, before kissing him again. "The best" she said, before losing herself in his lips.

* * *

**Remember, my dears, that reviews are love and I really, really care about your opinion!:)** **Let me know what you think of this story so far!**

**See you soon with a new chapter!:D**


	12. Valentine's Day

**Hi my dearies! :)**

**I won't stress enough how grateful I am of every single one of you who read, faved, followed and REVIEWED my story! I can't express in words how happy I am when I see that you decided to leave your opinion! So, please, don't stop and keep reviewing!:) - since FF says that I can't send personal messages to neppo618 and rjewels18, I want to thank you from here!**

**It's Valentine's Day here at "Welcome To New Directions!" Even if I don't feel like it's the best chapter I've written so far, I hope you'll enjoy it! (Just so you know, there's a little bit of smut at the beginning..)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Unfortunately.**

* * *

It was Valentine's day, the first one with Puck and Rachel as a couple, and they couldn't spend it together: she had her day full between classes and her job at the diner and he had to work as well, since the club was always full on that day. So Rachel decided to organise an evening with the ones who shared her same unfortunate fate that day: Mercedes, Quinn and Kurt (they hadn't make it official yet, but they made huge steps into their relationship). She would had invited Marley too but Finn told her that they weren't together, they just met a couple of times and he really liked her but they weren't together.

But, right now, she woke up in his arms and it was the best spot in the world to her. She turn until she was facing him, putting an effort into not turning too fast: he was sound asleep. His mouth was a little bit open and he was snoring lightly. She smiled at how peaceful he looked, so much different from the person he pretended to be during the day.

She smirked when she decided to give him the first Valentine's gift of the day. She slid under the blankets and, as subtle as possible, she turned him so he was lying on his back, freeing his already erected member from his pants and licking it with the tip of her tongue. She closed her hand around it and started to move it slowly. As soon as she put the tip of his dick in her mouth, she felt him stir and mumble something; she smirked as his reaction. Rachel released the tip with a clear 'bop'.

He thought he was dreaming. A damn good dream, if you ask him; and it felt so real too. He felt himself being dragged out of his dream but the good sensation didn't disappear. However he felt that something was missing, that someone was missing: he couldn't feel Rachel next to him; so he tried to reach for her but suddenly he felt his balls being squeezed and Rachel's mouth around his shaft.

"Shit, baby" he moaned, looking down and seeing the outline of her head bobbing under the blankets. He shut his eyes tightly, his arms resting on his forehead and breathing deeply. She slid slowly until it was out of her mouth and, while leaving sweet pecks in all his length, said "Good morning, honey". She took it in her mouth again, until he was able to feel the back of her throat, and she started to hum, making him shiver and groan a lot louder. As final touch, she started to bob her head again and he was sent on the edge, grunting a series of expletives and releasing his load in her mouth. She swallowed to the last drop and started to slide on his body, leaving open-mouthed kisses on the way.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Noah" she whispered and kissed him sweetly on his cheek when she was facing him, even if his eyes were still closed and he was still out of breath.

He opened one eye and laughed, hugging her tight. "Babe, could you wake me up like this every single time?" he said, making her laugh too. She shook her head and replied "You have to earn it. And since today we can't be together as I would like, I decided to make you another surprise.".

He raised an eyebrow and asked "Another?", at which she nodded with a bright smile. She got up, making him whine before he wanted to keep her there with him a little longer, and started to look into her bag for his actual present and card. When she finally found them, she jump back in bed with a grin and extended them to him.

He popped on his elbows and took them. "Babe, please tell me that there aren't kittens in the card" he whined jokingly, with a playful smirk on his face. She pouted and crossed her arms in front of her chest before saying "Kittens are cute and adorable, Noah. I don't know why you despise them so much in cards!".

He laughed out loud and kissed her pout "Because I'm a badass and I deserve a card with skulls and flames and something like that" but she slapped lightly his chest with both her hands and told him "Would you just open it already, for the love of God?".

He opened the envelope and found a bright pink card with two bees and a white heart. The writing in it said "Bee mine" in a loopy type. He laughed harder than before while she smiled broadly and beamed saying "See, Noah? You should really give me more credit!". He looked again at the card and then joked "Now, I totally regret the kittens", making her huff and fold her arms.

He smiled and dragged her under the covers and between his legs, with her back leaned on his chest; he moved her hair away from her neck and peck it. "You're a dork, babe" he said smiling and laughing when he heard her complaint but he decided to let it slide, open the present she gave him and, with eyes wide open, exclaimed "This is the coolest shit ever! Babe, really? A Super Mario key holder? This is fucking awesome!".

She turned a little so they see each other's face and replied "I'm really happy you like it. I brought one for myself too; the only difference is that, instead of Mario, mine has Princess Peach in it". He smiled and kissed her soundly before saying "It's perfect for your present".

She gave her a puzzled gaze and kept watching at him while he opened the drawer of the nightstand and picked up a small rectangular box, giving it to her. He tilted his head towards her and told her "C'mon Rach. Open it up".

Say that she was confused when she saw a key in the box was an understatement so she asked "What does this key open, Noah?" but he shrugged and, with a small smile, answered "It's the key of my place. I'd like you to have it. I trust you, B, and I fucking love you so I think it's time for you to have it". Rachel was stunned and got a little emotional with his short speech so, for the first time in her life, she decided to keep it simple and, with a broken voice, whispered "I love you too, baby", before kissing him deeply.

Unfortunately she had to broke the kiss and got ready for her morning class. After 20 minutes, they kissed goodbye before taking separate ways.

Noah went back to his bedroom, took in his hands her dorky card and passed a finger on it. He opened the closet and took out the shoebox where he kept the things that mattered the most to him: in it there were several pictures of Beth through the ages, picture of his family and her Chrismukkah's card. He added her Valentine's card at the pile and smiled fondly before closing it and putting it back where it belonged.

* * *

She entered in the living room with a big bowl of pop corn in her hands and announcing "Pop corn ready, ladies! Now, the only thing we have to choose is the movie!". After a long and suffered argument, they settled for Pride and Prejudice and P.S. I love you; just because their significant other couldn't give them their well-deserve romantic evening, Mr. Darcy and Gerald Butler seemed like very good substitutes.

Candles lit the rooms gently while the four friends were watching captivated the story between Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy and sipping at their glasses of wine. Sobs could be heard when Fitzwilliam declared his love to the young woman: thank God that Rachel knew that tears would be shared and filled the room with boxes of Kleenex. When the movie ended, they shared a weepy look and sighed dreamingly.

"Girls, I don't want to sound rude but I really wish I was with Noah right now. Not that I don't enjoy your company but I really wished he didn't have to work tonight: the thought of other women touching my man when I should do it…" Rachel closed her eyes and shook her head lightly but continued with another deep sigh "I really envy Santana and Brittany right now because they can spend the evening together". The others chuckled at her brief speech until Mercedes replied "Welcome to my world, Diva". Three sets of eyes landed on the black beauty's face and the petite brunette asked with sincere curiosity "Didn't you get used to it?" but the other shook her head and told her "Not really. But I know that Valentine's day makes the club earn a lot of money. A lot. Which means more money for our future together. I'll graduate in the spring too and we're trying to save as much money as we can for our future in California so, even if it bothers me too, I just have to deal with it". Mercedes shrugged and smiled at the other three.

Rachel sighed and, with a dreamy voice, said "You two are so cute together! You just exude love form all your pores" but the ebony-skinned woman laughed and promptly replied "Said from a half of the strangest yet most adorable couple of our group, I'll take it as a huge compliment. Yes, me and my bb are quite perfection, excepted when he starts to rap or to talk about how white rappers are far above the others. When he starts, I swear, I'm this close from leave his sorry white small ass!". The room erupted in laughter at their friend's confession and they started to talk about their relationships as well.

"I completely understand you! Sam is such a dork! A very hot one but still… He can talk for hours about superheroes and comic books or about cooking. He made me watch Avatar about 10 times! Sometimes, he drives me nuts!" whined Quinn but Kurt intervened "Oh, C'mon Ice Queen. You can't complain: he's like a puppy following you around for how much he loves you. So, now, the real question is: have Barbie and Ken say those three little magic words to each others?". The man raised a perfect-shaped eyebrow at her, smirking slightly, while Quinn put a strand of her hair behind her ear before saying "I didn't tell him that but he did. Actually, he did it after two dates! It was quite insane. I mean, we barely know each other, how can you already tell me that you love me if you don't know anything about me? And when we got officially together he kinda proposed".

Shrieks from the other three could be heard probably all around the city. Rachel tried to regain her composure and asked still shocked "What do you mean with 'He kinda proposed'?". The blonde woman looked at her friend in the eyes and said "He went down on one knee with a ring and said that I didn't have to freak out and that it was not an engagement ring but it was a promise ring. He wanted to promise me that, one day, we will get married and…", but Mercedes interrupted her and questioned "And what did you say?".

Quinn smiled and took in one hand her necklace, showing them that it had a small band (how the heck didn't they notice that before?!). Mercedes shook her head while Rachel and Kurt were speechless. "You two are basket cases, you totally deserve each other! You're a couple from January, for the love of God! Two months and you're already thinking about marriage? You're wackos" stated the black woman, who wasn't afraid to speak her mind but then her eyes grew wider and added with a hushed tone "Wait… aren't you pregnant, right?".

Quinn stared at her with her mouth hanging open and with an high-pitched voice said "What? No! I'm not pregnant, Mercedes! Listen, I'm not saying that we're gonna get married next month. This isn't an engagement ring but a promise one! And I'm happy that I finally met a man who cherishes me and cares so deep for me! I'm sure that if Puck would have done something like that, Rachel would had say yes as well!"

At the mention of her name, Rachel frowned and crossed her arms "Excuse me! Why do you think that?", making the blonde turn her head to look at the brunette. Quinn smiled and said "Rach, honestly, you would definitely had said yes! You walk around with hearts in your eyes and a dopey smile when he's with you"; this affirmation make Kurt snicker next to the petite brunette, who glared at him and elbowed him in the ribs. She turned her attention back at her blonde colleague and said "First of all, our situations are very different! Before being a couple, Noah and I were friends and we saw each other quite often for basically 4 months! I know him fairly well and, even if I love him very much and he loves me back, I don't think I would accept a contingent proposal because I don't think we're ready for something so important. You and Sam just met and, in a couple of weeks, you were already together. I'm not saying that you should have said no; what I'm saying is that you should had thought that through because it gives quite high hopes about your future with Sam. You didn't even tell him you love him! So, are you really sure you made the right choice accepting such an important promise with a person that you know from a couple of months?" she finished with a concerned face. She wasn't judging her friend; she was just trying to look out for both Quinn and Sam: she really cared for them and didn't want them to be unhappy.

Quinn sighed and, with a small smile, said "He's worthy; even if I didn't tell him that I love him, doesn't mean that I'm not getting there. He's amazing and I'm just happy that a man so kind, beautiful and funny decided that he would like to spend the rest of his life with me. But, as I already told you, we're not getting married in the next couple of months so calm down!"

The other three looked at each other, silently deciding to change subject. "So, what did that charming boyfriends of yours give you three beauties as present?" asked Kurt trying to lighten the conversation. "Chocolates and bracelet" said Mercedes with a big smile on her face while Quinn blushed and told them "A dozen red roses. They're really beautiful". They all turned to see Rachel, who, with a huge grin, replied "Noah gave me a copy of key of his place".

Her friends fanned over the present Puck gave her, gushing about how important it was and how he really cared for her. "Let me tell you something, Rach" started Mercedes "I know the boy from awhile and I can say that he's crazy for you. I've never seen him acting like that with anyone else. Even Artie says that he's quite scared of this change in him but he definitely see that you two are perfect for each other. So props, diva, you tamed the wild tiger!", making Rachel giggle and blush slightly before saying "I didn't domesticate anyone. It just natural with him, so I guess, it's natural for him as well. He's great and I feel so happy to be with him. I really hope that we will last because it would really make my heart break if I would lose him".

"Don't worry, Rachie" Quinn hugged her sideways, resting her head on her shoulder, and said "You two are perfect for each other It's like a match made in heaven… or hell, I still have to figure it out". Mercedes and Kurt nodded furiously at the blonde's statement until Kurt chirped "Well, I guess it's time to watch the other movie, don't you girls agree with me?". Rachel looked at him in the eyes and said "No, my dear. We told you what our men gave us for Valentine's day. Now it's your turn!", at which the other two women squealed and nodded out of curiosity.

Kurt rolled his eyes but with a warm smile answered "He's taking me to see Evita next week". Rachel put her hands on her heart and, with a soft voice, replied "He's taking you to a Broadway show? Oh, honey. You two are just too adorable to be real. I knew you two would be perfect for each other, I'm an amazing matchmaker after all!". "And a very humble one, dear!" stated the man before adding "Now can we put the other movie on? I need to weep a little more". The women in the room agreed with him and continued their Valentine's alternative party.

* * *

At the club, the guys were all on stage next some chair while the customers were touching them and dancing with them. It was something that the club did for every Valentine's and Woman's day: the ladies had ten minutes to do everything they want with them (Nothing too explicit or the new bodyguard Shannon Beiste – Karofsky quit but he told Schue to hire Beiste since she's one of the best around- would act on it and throw the client out of the club).

Puck could feel hands all over his body and, for the first time, felt almost disgust for it. This used to be his favourite part of this event; he would had took even a more active part in it but, right now, he felt that something was really wrong. None of the hands that were hungrily roaming his body had that touch or that softness or even that warmth that he wanted to feel on him right now.

Of course, he got along for all the 10 minutes requited; it was his job and he was really good at it but he was damn pleased when the period ended and he was free to go back in their dressing room.

"Fuck" he huffed while sitting heavily on the small couch "was it always that fucking long?", but the others laughed loudly and nodded. Artie looked at him "Now you see why I hate it! Guess you're going to stop mocking me for being so whipped, am I right?", making Puck nod and state "Dude, you're a fucking champ for doing this shit for so much time with a girl around. Really, man. Respect".

The men exited the room minutes later and started to mingle and flirt with the clients in the main room while Finn was performing on stage.

Puck was talking with a blond bitch and he couldn't stand her anymore. Her locks were gathered up in a high ponytail, emphasising her small blue eyes and her pointy nose. She was probably even shorter than Rachel and had very short tubby legs. Her personality sucked big time: she thought she was the shit and that he should feel privileged that she wanted to spend time with her. As Santana would put it, bitch please! His girl mopped the floor with girls like this one!

Suddenly she said "I want to fuck you so hard. Come home with me, you won't regret it". Noah wanted to laugh so hard: who the hell did she think she was? He would barely given her his time of night before Rachel so you could imagine how many possibilities the girl had with him right now! However, he tried to be as polite as possible (he should spend less time with Rachel… she was rubbing him off! …Oh well, who the hell cares! He loved the way she rubbed him off) by saying "Thanks doll, but I don't think I'm going to accept your proposal. I have other plans for the night so…" but the blonde didn't quit that easily "Then tomorrow. I'm willingly to wait for you, even if you're giving up an amazing night with me to fuck some whore".

The man shook his head and stated "What about never?" (politeness flew out the window the moment the bitch called Rachel 'whore') "I'd rather stay with that 'whore' forever than spend other 10 minutes with you". He started to walk away but he was midway to the curtain when he heard her nasal voice say "You're gonna be mine, Puckerone. I want you and no one says no to Kitty Wilde!".

At that, Puck started to laugh out loud: chick was batshit crazy (and not even the good kind, like Rachel).

He was still laughing when he entered back in the dressing room, where Finn was drinking from a bottle of water. The tall one raised an eyebrow at him and, liking his lips from some drops, asked with sincere curiosity "What are you laughing at?". Puck shook his head and dismissed the whole thing with a simple "Crazy chick had her panties in a twist and went all loca when I said no to her fugly ass".

The mohawked man put on a leather vest, ready to get on stage and make those ladies swoon. He checked a few things for his show and went for the door but stopped in front of Finn saying "I'm coming home with you tonight", making the goofy man laugh and reply "Wow, Puck, I'm flattered. So you ditched that girl for me? I might even blush at the revelation. Have you already told Rach that you got a crush on me?".

Puck snorted and told his friend "You would definitely know if I were crushing on you, Finnessa, but worry not, I still prefer tap your sister instead of you", gaining a glare from Finn. "Wait" the tallest of the two said a little bit confused "Rachel didn't tell me that you were coming over tonight…", at which Noah answered to his friend "That's 'cause Rach doesn't know I'm coming over. I told her that I would had gone home right after work". Then he walked out the room, mentally getting ready for another performance.

* * *

The two men entered in the dark apartment; the only light was a little lamp in the living room that Rachel always left on for when Finn would come home from work. Finn and Noah took separate ways when the latter entered in his girlfriend's bedroom and waved the other goodnight.

He turned on the little lamp on the nightstand and got rid of his clothes before fishing in her closet for one of his shirts and some sweatpants: they always have a clean change in the other's place (except for his shirt who Rachel regularly stole from him to sleep in – "It's like being hugged by you even when you are not with me" she said all cute and shit… how could he say no to her?).

Rach was all curled up under the thick comforter with her hair in a messy bun and her hands under the pillow, clutching at it lightly. She gabbled under her breath before sighing deep and wiggle a little bit: she was fucking adorable and Puck couldn't help but smile at the sight. He was one lucky motherfucker.

With all the delicacy he could muster and paying attention not to wake her up, he slid under the covers and tried to take her in his arms. He dragged her next to him until her back was glued to his front and then he kissed the back of her bare neck. She gabbled a little bit more before he could distinctively hear her say "Noah" and feel her head wiggle against his arm, trying to getting comfortable. He nuzzled his nose in her hair and breathed deeply, letting the familiar scent soothe his nerves.

He squeezed her lightly, wanted to feel her in his arms and as to making sure that she was real and all his; however, this made Rachel wake up from her dreamy sleep. She stiffed a little when she noticed manly arms around her but then she recognised her boyfriend's scent and breath on her neck and, with a sleepy smile, she turned and looked at him from under her eyelids.

"Hey honey" she said with a groggy voice, pecking his nose and then his lips. He held her tighter and whispered "Babe, sorry. Didn't want to wake you up" but she shook her head with her eyes closed and settled in his embrace before saying "Don't worry. What are you doing here? Thought I would have see you tomorrow".

He nuzzled his nose against hers and, while a smile played on their face, replied "I just want to have you in my arms. This day kinda sucked big time… Well, not all day, this early morning was pretty epic". The last part was said with a smug smirk on his face and she could feel it even if her eyes were still closed. He kissed her leisurely, making her sigh contently, but, as soon as the kiss ended, she said "What happened?", opening just one eye.

"Nothing in particular. It's that you weren't with me" he told her with a low voice but she giggled and hugged him back "Aw! My boyfriend is adorable", which make him mumble "Babe, you know I hate it when you call me that". She released a sleepy laugh and unsaid her previous statement, changing it in "My very badass and masculine boyfriend is adorable".

"Slightly better… but you can do better, B" said Puck after pecking her lips but she shook her head and yawned against his arm before saying "This is the most badass I can get, so be content with it or I go back to just adorable".

He laughed and stated "Babe, the shit I let slide for you", gaining a happy nod from the petite woman who was laying next to him and replied "That's because I'm adorable too, right? We can be cute together". You can totally say that she was overtalking because she was exhausted: she was k.o. after university, work at the diner and the dinner with her friends. She was so tired that she could barely open her eyes, but she was really happy to have her boyfriend here so she tried to be as awake as she could, even if it was resulting to be a quite difficult task for her.

He totally saw that so he kissed her and with an amused voice said "Sure, babe; we can be as cute as you want. But tomorrow, okay? Now go back to sleep" but she shook her head and babbled "No, I want to hear about your day. I want to talk to you, you're here and I'm happy. I don't want to go to sleep yet. Honey, don't make me go to sleep".

He chuckled at her, staring at her features: her eyes were trying to open to look into his but failing miserably and her full lips were pouting. She was really the cutest and hottest woman he had ever seen.

"Rach, you're tired and so am I" he said nicely, playing with her hair while she purred contently at the sensation "So go back to sleep. We can talk in the morning if you want. Alright, princess?". She nodded half asleep, pecked him on the chin (her closed eyes made her miss the lips) and turned around, spooning nicely in his lovely arms. Her breath started to even out, showing that she was falling into a peaceful sleep. Noah turned off the nightstand and relaxed in his position.

He was about to fall asleep too when her voice got his attention when, in a whisper, she called for him "Noah?". He hummed in answer, telling her to go on. "Even if it wasn't the ideal Valentine's day, I wanted to tell you that it was very special to me because it was the first with you. I love you. So much. Sleep tight, honey".

He felt goosebumps down his spine and behind his neck: she definitely knew how to make him love her more and more with every second that passed. He only managed to say "Love you too, B. To infinity and beyond. G'night beautiful" and kissed the back of her head.

A couple of minutes passed he was fairly certain that she was already asleep when he heard her giggle. He heard her muttered "Did you just quote Buzz Lightyear for Toy Story? God, you're adorkable!" This made him laugh but he tried to muffled his laughter against the pillow. When he calmed down, he told her "Shut up and go to sleep. You're talking shit, Babe. I'm not adorkable… At least, adickable!", making her snort. "That doesn't even make sense!" she mumbled but he childishly rebutted with a "You're face doesn't make sense".

He totally felt the slap on his arm. She was definitely strong for being a sleep midget.

He held her as close as possible and left butterfly kisses on her neck before saying "Now sleep, B". The two finally fell into a peaceful sleep, both feeling like they were right where they were supposed to be.

* * *

**Ok, dearies.. What do you think about this chapter? Please, let me know! If you have anything (ANYTHING) you want to tell me about it, review! I will be really happy to answered back! Thank you, again, to the ones who take their time to review! You. Are. Amazing.**

**See you soon!**


	13. Every Rose Has Its Thorn

**Hello everyone!**

**Important things first: HOW AMAZINGLY AMAZING ARE YOU? No, seriously! I'm blown away from your response to my last chapter! I've never ever had that many reviews and I was SO happy! Thank you, you amazing, wonderful, lovely people! Knowing that you're enjoying my story really means a lot! Every time I receive a review, I feel like what I'm doing isn't like a complete waste of time and makes me write with more enthusiasm so... thank you.**

**And I wanted to thank you all of you who just read or fave or follow my story because, even if I don't know your opinion about my story, you support me by keeping reading it! THANK YOU.**

**Now, I'll leave you to a brand new chapter of my story! Hope you'll enjoy it as well!**

* * *

Puck and Sam opened the door of their place and immediately heard a melodious voice coming from the living room. They looked into each other's eyes and peaked at the room from the hallway.

Rachel was sitting on the couch with her back straight and a bunch of papers in front of her. She was singing her heart out but she turned when she heard applause from behind her once she finished. She flashed them a huge smile and chirped "Hello gentlemen! When did you two arrive? I didn't hear you!".

"We just arrived" answered Sam with a gentle smile while Noah approached her and kissed her sweetly, making her purr. He looked at the sheet of papers that where laying neatly in the coffee table and he asked her "What are you doing?". She immediately bright up and clipped her hands together with excitement before saying "You won't believe what happened to me earlier today! Mr. Herwig, the musical producer that was interested in working with me, called me to say that he and his partners decided to put on the revival of 'Les Mis' off-Broadway and they would love for me to go to an audition. Of course, I said yes and I throw myself in the search for the perfect song that would showcase my range and expressivity. And I haven't decided yet for which character I should audition for. Personally I really like the role of Fantine. Did you know that Patti LuPone portrayed this amazing character when it was staged in the West End in 1985? And I really think I would give to 'I dreamed a dream' the intensity it deserves. However, I'm more incline to audition for the role of Cosette or Éponine. If, from one hand, I'm closer to Cosette for our shared past – you know, away from our mothers and always misunderstood and mistreated by the other – on the other, Éponine is such a complex and challenging character and I would love to dive into the twirl of emotions that are inside her. Not to mention the fact that "On My Own" it's one of my favourite songs and it really displays the_ grandeur _of my voice".

Noah was watching her whirlwind of a girlfriend while, with ruffled hair, was looking and grabbing the musical scores in front of her like a mad woman, muttering to herself after she ended her monologue to him. She abruptly stopped moving, let fall down the sheets she had in her hands and turned her head so fast he was sure that he heard a 'crick' from her neck. She narrowed her eyes and said "I have to phone Kurt. He would definitely help with my indecisiveness and we could come up with the best option for me". She ran out of the living room and into Puck's bedroom in record time.

He smiled looking at the closed door of his room and then sat down where she was once seated. Seconds after, Sam joined him on the couch with two beers and said "Dude, your girl is going to be a star. How do you feel about that?". Noah took one beer from his roommate and took a long sip before looking confused at the other and asking "What do you mean 'how do you feel?'? I feel fucking proud, that's how I feel. My girl is the shit. 'Bout time the world and those Broadway pricks realise that!". Then the blonde questioned "Aren't you afraid that she might find someone else? Someone with the same goals and aspirations as her and leave you high and dry? Aren't you afraid of that?".

At the mere thought of Rachel leaving him, his stomach clenched and his throat tightened. Well, that could be a possibility. He dreaded the day she would finally open her eyes and realise that she was so much better than him, that she was intended to greatness while he would still probably work at 'New Directions', maybe even substitute Schue as the owner when he would retire.

But then he thought of all the times that she told him that she was proud to be with him, all the times she felt safe in his arms and all the times that she told him she loved him. And he believed in her; he knew that she would fight for him just as much as he would fight for her and all the doubts that came with Sam's question disappeared.

He took another long gulp from the bottle and smirk to his friend saying "Well, she should get ready to fight then because I won't give up on us that easily. I fucking love that crazy midget and I will do anything to keep her with me the longest I can". The mohawked man looked at his friend, who was staring at him in awe, and then looked around the room before saying "And this is the moment when we paint each other's toenails and read Cosmo, right? Should I get Rach's mask creme and put on 'The Notebook'?". Sam scoffed and got up, walking away from him and muttering something like "For once that he was showing his feeling" or some bullshit like that. Noah laughed and turned on the TV.

He was engrossed in the re-runs of "Walker Texas Ranger" (you gotta respect a fellow badass, especially if he is Chuck Norris, one of his childhood heroes and role models along with Hugh Hefner, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alice Cooper) when Rachel came back in the living room, still talking to Kurt "No, Kurt, I don't think auditioning naked would do me any good but thank you for the praise". You can bet your sweet asses that Puck's head snapped so fast towards his girlfriend so he could glared at her and growled "Over my dead body you're auditioning naked", at which she smiled at him and shook her hand dismissively, mouthing "Kurt's crazy idea, don't worry".

Noah relaxed slightly, turning his head back to the television set and putting an arm around his petite girl, but he was totally still listening at her phone conversation with her friend. Rachel settled on the couch as well, leaning on her boyfriend and bringing her knees up. Puck's hand went automatically around her knees, keeping them in place, and started to drew little hearts on them (or spades in reverse… but she was romantic so she decided that he was drawing hearts on her). She smiled and, with the arm that was free, she started to caress his arm as well.

"No, Kurt! I don't want to scared them. I'm already known to be a little bit excessive", she heard Noah snort at that but decided to let it slide, "So I think it's better if I present myself without any kind of outside interferences. What about a piano version of 'On My Own'? I got chills just thinking about the majesty of that masterpiece. It would be perfect". She shut up for a minute or so, humming at what Kurt was saying to her until she started to talk again "Yes, 'A Heart Full Of Love' would be really interesting, that's if I manage to change it for just one singer. So, if we talking about slightly modify the songs, I would also sing 'A Little Fall Of Rain'. But still, I think 'On My Own' would emphasise my vocal strengths much better. Sweetie, I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright? Have a nice evening and say hi to Blaine from me. Goodbye". She hung up and hugged Puck's arm, nuzzling her nose against it and pecking the inside of his elbow. He dragger her closer to him and kissed her head before softly say "I am really proud of you".

No swearing, no 'Babe' and it felt like the best thing that someone had ever told her. All it took was for him to say those six words to make her heart burst of joy and happiness. She felt as her eyes got wetter when she turned to look at him in the eyes and asked him with a small voice "Really?".

His face got closer and they kissed sweetly, tongues gently brushing against the other like they were slow dancing. When the kiss ended, he breathed deeply before looking in her eyes and telling her "Babe, how could I not be proud of you? You are a star and you're a step closer to show to the world just how bright you are. You're gonna kick some serious Broadway asses at the audition. Guess some of my badassness rub off on you". She shook her head and informed him that badassness wasn't a word but he just shrugged and asked "So what did you and wonder boy come up with?".

She flashed a huge smile at him and sat up, telling him, for the next half an hour, every single idea for her audition since she wanted to have his opinion too. Little did she know that his knowledge about "Les Mis" was basically non existent. Guess he had to find the DVD or the CD so he could help her too.

It was almost dinner time when Sam reappeared in the living room and, with a very big smile (not just out of happiness… mainly because of his massive mouth), said to Rachel "Big occasion calls for big celebration so what about I cook for you a nice dinner instead of the usual take-away? We can even open a bottle of wine!".

The woman was already nodding happily when Puck eyed his roommate and asked with suspicion "You aren't trying to food-poison her, right? Because she has to be in full forces and she can't be at her best if you cook some shit of yours". He felt a smack on the back of his head and he turned to his girlfriend, who was glaring at him. She looked at her blond friend and told him "Sam, I would be really happy to eat something you cooked! Please, do not listen to what Noah says; you cook some marvellous dishes!". Sam laughed and, before disappearing in the kitchen, reassured her "Oh, don't worry Rach. I learned not to listen to him a long time ago. He's just jealous of my cooking abilities".

Puck was about to say something back to his friend but the petite brunette launched herself on him, covering his mouth with her hand and menaced "Another hurtful word to Sam and I'm going to put you in time out for the next month". The man licked the palm of her hand but it stayed over his mouth and, when he shoot her an incredulous gaze, she rolled her eyes before stating "You've done worse than just a lick on one of my hands so don't act so surprised!". That made him laugh out loud so Rachel was forced to move her hand away and let him laugh away while she was seating next to him with arms crossed in front of her chest.

When he calmed a little, he grabbed her and brought her on his lap, still chuckling a bit in the crook of her neck. Her arm went around him and she started to play with the end of the Mohawk until he started to work on her neck, biting and licking. She tried to suppress a moan but he heard that anyway so he smirked and huskily asked "Want to go back in my room so I can show you all the other things I can to with my tongue?".

She was about to answer when they heard sound of pans hitting the floor followed by Sam's worried voice "D-Don't worry, guys! Everything is okay! Great! Don't come in!". Puck grunted and said reluctantly "Babe, have to check on Top Chef over there. I don't want to change kitchen… again": She grabbed his face, pecked his lips and slid down from his lap. Then she grabbed her phone and wiggled it at him saying "Don't worry, Noah. I'll call Finn and my dads with the good news in the meantime".

He smiled down at her, already keying a number on her phone and walked out in the room, ready to kick Trouty Mouth's ass.

* * *

Two weeks into March and one after the callback for the musical, Rachel bursted inside the club, looking frantically for Noah or Finn. She knew that she would have found them there because they decided to rehearse a little for a new performance Mike and Brittany had choreographed before the club opened.

So, she looked at the stage to see if they were still rehearsing but it was empty. She looked around the big room but the only people that were there were some of the bartenders, Schue and that creepy DJ who tried to kiss her. Those two were talking in hushed tones and the older was moving his arms frantically; she could see from her position his sweaty forehead and the bags under his eyes. He didn't look that good. And the DJ… he still looked really creepy and fishy as the last time she saw him.

She kept looking for two of the most important men in her life when, finally, the thick curtain opened and Noah came in sight. She yelled and jumped on him, who was standing shocked next the curtain. He grabbed her with a 'huff' and steadied her before saying "B, what are you doing here? And the fuck was that for? I know that you love to jump on my bone but…".

Rachel, still in his arms and with her legs wrapped around his waist, detached herself from him just enough to look at him in the eyes. She was about to speak when a voice behind her stated "The club don't open for another three hours. So you have to go out or I'll throw you". She was a very strong voice but with feminine traits in it.

Puck laughed and looked over his girlfriend's shoulder, saying "She can stay, Beiste. She's my girlfriend, Rachel". Puck slightly turned so the petite woman could see the person that was standing in front of them. It was a massive woman with short curly hair, face full of freckles and golden earrings on her ears. Her thin lips were now showing a gentle smile and her little blue eyes were shining with kindness. Her appearance of tough woman clashed with the warmth that her features showed.

Rachel climbed down from her boyfriend and get closer to the woman, who was extending her hand at her. She felt so little next to her. The petite brunette shook the other's hand and, apologetic, said "I'm so sorry to had given you the wrong impression. As Noah already stated, I'm his girlfriend and I'm also Finn Hudson's sister. My name is Rachel Berry. It's a pleasure meeting you, miss…". "Shannon Beiste" promptly replied the big woman, releasing Rachel's smaller hand from her strong grim "I'm the new bouncer of the club. It's nice to finally put a face on the name, pumpkin. The guys talk a lot about you", which made Rachel grin and turn towards her boyfriend saying "Oh, really? And what do they say?".

Noah stepped forward and took her girlfriend by the shoulder and said to the bouncer "Well, how the time flies when you're having good time, uh? And, unlucky, Beiste has to go check on that thing… Right?". The big woman laughed out loud and told Rachel "Guess I've been spoken for, dear. It was a pleasure to meet you". The petite brunette smiled and waved at her new acquaintance before turning towards her boyfriend and slapping him on the chest. "That was very rude, Noah!" stated Rachel, with a very unimpressed look on her face and making Puck roll his eyes. He held her in his arms and asked "So, what are you here for? I thought I would have see you later at your place".

Rachel's face lit up like a menorah and, with a huge grin, said "I got the part".

Puck's mouth fell open before he mirrored the grin that was on her face. He lifted her up and spun her around, making her laugh out loud. They stopped and he kissed her deeply. With short breath, he said against her lips "Fuck, babe. I knew it. You're too amazing for those not to give you the part".

She tightened her fist on his shirt and pecked his lips still smiling broadly. "I'm so close to Broadway, Noah" she whispered, as if this could had been taken away from her if she spoke louder, "I couldn't be happier: I have an amazing family, amazing friends, a boyfriend that loves me and I love in return and I'm going to be in an off-Broadway show just a couple of months after my graduation". Her eyes were misty and her voice trembled a little. She sniffed and a little teardrop escaped from the long eyelashes and rolled down her cheek, just to be stopped by his thumb that was stroking lovingly the soft skin.

He hugged her tight and pecked her neck, while she released a watery laugh. She nuzzled her nose against his ear and whispered "I love you, Noah Puckerman". He laughed and he was looking right into her eyes when he replied "I know; I'm fucking loveable like that", gaining a slap in her chest and a fucking adorable pout in return.

He kissed the pout away, making her giggle, and was about to talk when they heard the click of a camera going off. They turned and saw Sam with his phone raised to capture a picture of the two. The blonde, smiling at the screen, said at the two lovebirds in front of him "This is a great addition to our scrapbook about you two. You're just too adorable". "Our?" "Scrapbook?! The fuck… Wait! You call me another time 'adorable' and I cut your dick off!" were the different reactions at the blonde's statement.

"All of us are putting together all the numerous pictures of you two together that we take when you're with us. It just serves to prove the cuteness of Puckleberry" Sam answered and, after a heated glared from Puck, clarified "Britt's words, not mine. She came up with the idea too".

'Oh, sweet little Brittany' Rachel thought with a fond smile, then she decided that she had to ask her to show how is the scrapbook coming out so far. She would really like to see the pictures they had taken of them two.

In that moment, Finn and the other guys entered in the hall too and Rachel, remembering the reason why she went there, squealed and threw herself at her brother too. As soon as she delivered him the great news, they both jumped excitedly and shed some tears (even if Finn told his colleagues that he had something in the eye… in both his eyes… That didn't stop the guys, except for Blaine, from teasing him for that). The others hugged and congratulated her, telling that next time they go out together, the first two rounds would be on her.

Sam chimed in and asked "Did you already tell Quinn? She's gonna be thrilled!". Rachel smiled dropped a little bit "I will probably tell Q and Emma the news tomorrow, since I have to quit my job at the diner. Even if I'm so ecstatic for my role, I feel like I'm going to miss working there. It was my first job in the City. Emma will cry for sure.". Working at the diner was very cosy and familiar, especially thanks to Quinn and Emma. It was really sad to say goodbye: not to Quinn since she was in her circle of friends and was her boyfriend's roommate's girlfriend, but to Emma and it broke her heart a little.

Puck caressed her on her shoulder's blades, feeling her sadness and wanting to comfort her. She flashed him a grateful smile and the group started to chat, falling into a nice familiarity.

That was until Schue came to them and harshly said "She has to get the fuck out of her or I'll make her throw out by the bouncers". Puck immediately clenched his fist and tilted menacingly his head toward him "The fuck did you just say?". Like hell he would let him speak to her like that. He might be his boss but he didn't give a flying fuck right now.

Rachel was staring at the owner and the more she looked at him, the more she understood that he wasn't completely himself. He was sweatier than when she arrived earlier, he seemed really nervous and she was near enough that she could see how bigger his pupils were. And that it was a completely different personality he was showing: in the rare occasions the two spoke to each other, the man was nothing but polite with her.

So, she put a hand on Noah's forearm and, with a firm grip, reassured him that everything was fine and told William "I'm going to leave in a minute, Mr. Schuester. Don't worry". The owner nodded frantically, looked around suspiciously and walked fast towards the curtain.

The guys were speechless after witnessing Schue's attitude; they had never seen him went off on someone like that. Sure, since the came back from the Christmas break, he seemed a bit off but they didn't think he would change that much

Rachel was the first to speak and said to them in a gentle voice "I think something's wrong with him Please, try to help him out, would you do that for me? Noah, Finn, I'll see you back home later. Gentlemen, it's always a pleasure seeing you and, when you see miss Beiste, give her my regards". She pecked her boyfriend's lips and waved good-heartedly at the others before leaving the club.

Mike talked to Puck "Man, your girl is pretty epic. I mean, Schue just treated her like crap but, instead of bite his head off like everyone else would have done, she asked us to help him with whatever he has in mind?! Props!". He was dead serious in his statement; he would bet his house that none of the girls in their little group would have react like that: Santana, Mercedes, Quinn and Tina (yes, even Tina – she looked all cute and shy but she actually was very fierce) would have kicked Schue's ass pretty hard until he would have apologised while Brittany would have cried at the reaction (which would still have leaded to an ass-kicking, courtesy of Santana for making Britt Britt cry). He didn't know Marley that well so he couldn't really tell how she would react but whatever.

Puck was standing with his fist closed tight, knuckles turned white, still pissed for what the owner told his girlfriend. He turned his head towards Mike and replied "Yeah, she's pretty great… But keep the fucktard away from me or I'll rearrange his fugly face", talking about the older man. He didn't give a damn about what-the-fuck-ever was happening to the dude, he just knew that he treated his Rachel like shit and that was not kosher.

So he stomped his way to the bar, pushing Jew-fro that was in his way. The oily man tried to react and whine but, with a dead glare from the mohawked man, he shut his mouth.

Thank God for the inventor of Jack Daniels and for the amber liquid that made everything better and always calmed his nerves.

* * *

"Santana, I know that we have to celebrate the role and everything but can't we go somewhere else? Please? Pretty please?" begged the big-eyed brunette her best friend but the Latina, after years of friendship, was almost immune to the other's big doe pleading eyes so she just answered "Suck it up and shut up, Berry. We're going to New Directions. First of all, I promised Britt that I would take her there". The blonde beauty next to Santana clapped her hands excitedly and smiled broadly before kissing tenderly her girlfriend. Rachel smiled fondly at the love that her two friends were showing for each other. Santana smiled when they broke the kiss, pecked another time Brittany's lips and continued "Second, even the others agreed to go there so you won't be alone in your 'stripper's girlfriends club' and third, don't you want to celebrate your big break with your man?", at which Rachel scoffed and said without thinking "I've already celebrate with him. Many and many times".

As soon as the words she just uttered settled in her brain, her eyes grew even bigger and she slammed one hand on her mouth, keeping her from another attack of verbal diarrhoea. Santana had tears on her face for how much she was laughing and even Brittany was laughing of Rachel's statement but then she stopped and added seriously "They would be so hot to watch". That made Santana stop too and looked first at her boo with amazement and pure adoration in her eyes and then at her best friend with pleading eyes but she was met by Rachel stony face that deadpanned with a final "Don't you even think about that". "Party pooper" the Latina muttered under her breath.

The cab pulled over in front of the club and, after paying for the ride, the girls got off it and walked towards their friends who were waiting for them, next to the big door. From the line outside the club, it seemed like the guys were going to have a pretty busy night that night. The group shared their hellos and went to the bouncer. Rachel was happy to see Beiste at the door; even if they exchange just few words, she thought that the new bouncer was very nice and had a really good heart. "Hello, Ms Beiste! How are you this fine night?" said the petite woman to the much bigger one, who hugged her and replied "Hello to you too, pumpkin! Please, call me Beiste! I'm fine, thank you. Guess you're here for the show, right?". Rachel shrugged and tilted her head to her group of friends "I wasn't my idea but theirs. We're celebrating the fact that I got a part on a off-Broadway role". In the other woman's face appeared a huge grin and took her in her arms again, almost squeezing the life out of the brown-eyed woman and yelled "Whoa, Rachel! That's amazing! Congratulation! Go, go and enjoy the night!".

The group entered and directed towards a free table. In Quinn's and Kurt's face you could see how curious but, at the same times, almost shy they were. At least they were taking it so much better than Rachel's first time at New Directions. Mercedes was familiar to the place, even if she didn't go there that often, while Brittany was beaming and taking in the atmosphere of the club.

On the stage, there was Blaine in his Ken's attire: light blue cardigan on his shoulder, Hawaiian shirt, Bermuda shorts and, on his feet, loafers. It took only a couple of minutes to take off his shirt, showing a really nice and lean body, every muscle well defined. Kurt stiffed next to her and Rachel turned to him the moment a long whistle of appreciation left Santana's lips: she had never seen her friend so red in the face. She patted her friend's back sympathetically and shot a small smile at him before saying "Girls, I just think it's sick that we're here watching the guys perform since they're all our boyfriends or my brother. It's just not healthy or normal at all". Santana looked at her with an eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face and told her "B, who the fuck cares about 'healthy' or 'normal'? Because, flash news, we're not normal. Like, at all. Plus, it's always fun to see someone take his or her clothes off" and, with that, she turned to talk to Kurt "Sparky pants, congratulation on your little boytoy over there! You could wash your clothes on those abs. Just hope for your sake that he's not so little down there too". At the statement, Kurt's eyes grew comically and Rachel called for the waiter. She felt that they would need A LOT of alcohol to get through the night.

The little group chatted, blushed and laughed looking their boyfriends on the stage (Rachel still refused to watch Finn's show for the same obvious reason… Doesn't matter how much she loved him and wanted to support him: watch your brother taking off his clothes in front of horny women is just gross) and the guys stopped by as soon as they got off the stage and spotted them in the crowd. They teased their girls to be there but they were also happy to have them there, even if it was weird that they still had to flirt with the other customers; they were still working so they couldn't be all there, with the same group of women, and neglect all the others; Schue would quickly realised what they were doing and cut them off (the mood changes were still frequent and pretty scary).

At some point, all the boys were gone and ready to do the group performance that Mike and Brittany created. The stage was covered in fog and one of the boys with black fedora, black raincoat, black pants and a black umbrella in his hand, walking on the stage and twirling the now open umbrella. This action lift up some of the fog, surrounding the man. The lyrics of 'It's raining men' started to fill the club and, with that, also the catcalls and the yells of the women in the room. The other men started to come up on stage, one by one, while the first was closing the umbrella. With the way they were dressed you couldn't really say who was who, the hat and his shadow covered their faces perfectly. Once all the men were on stage, they started to striking some poses following the rhythm but when the chorus approached they started to move inwards so that the first man, the one that started the choreography, was on the peninsula.

At the chorus, they opened all the umbrellas so that they were hidden behind them and twirled them, playing with the props until they had to drop them in the nearest spot and started the actual danced part, sliding on their feet and taking off sensually their fedora. Now Rachel realised that the first one was her Noah, smirking at the ladies around the peninsula. Jealousy started to settled on the small brunette, who felt like she was impotent, like she couldn't slap everyone of those women and yelled at that "It's my man your drooling at! Stop it!" but the wink he sent her way made it a little bit easier to breath.

The guys suddenly opened their raincoat and slid on their knees. They were wearing a black vest, black collar and black tie without a shirt under hit, leaving very little to the imagination. They turned on their knees and got up, moving the arms so that they were wearing the coat just with one arm in. Puck moved on the stage signalling each of his colleagues, who, on different beats, did, singularly, a different move. They got rid of the raincoat so that the move that would follow would display their biceps (Rachel thought that she was a very, very lucky woman to call dibs on those perfect and lovely arms).

The guys made their arms slid lasciviously down their torso until the lyrics stopped for a second, Puck cupped his ear as if he wanted to hear the women scream (making them scream even louder than before) and, while the others started to taking off their vests, Puck did a very quick series of pelvic trusts. Then he went down on his knees and moved doing some more trusts, this time they were slower and in time with the music. The crowd went wide and Rachel's mouth flew open (it could have been even a little bit of drool but she would deny it on her collection of knee socks… she never actually liked them anyway).

Puck rejoiced his colleagues and took off his vest too. The group moved forward on the stage until all the men were on the peninsula and they some slides, ending still so that they were showing to the adoring crowd their perfect bodies.

It seemed like the performance was over so the crowd clapped and yelled a little bit louder, throwing money at them. But suddenly, a different song, a more upbeated one, started and all the guys moved their hips sensually, following the music. They jumped off the stage and started to dance on the clients' lap, making them squeal in pleasure while their girlfriend groaned at the vision.

Mercedes started to talk so that they wouldn't have to watch that part by saying "I hate this part. It's all okay until those bitches put their paws on them. I just want to punch them all, you know?". The other girlfriend nodded and Kurt even said "Amen, sister. Thank God Blaine is gay or I would completely go insane! You're really very strong and confident women to let your man do this kind of job".

There was a break after that performance so the guys took advantage of it and went to check on their women. The only one who was missing was Puck, which, of course, Rachel immediately noticed. She turned around and tried to find him at the bar but it was very crowded and so it was impossible for her to spot him. So she excused herself and went to look for her boyfriend.

She was shoved in the crowd but, in the end, she spotted his Mohawk. She was already smiling when she approached him but her smile froze and fell when she found him and a blonde woman kissing.

Rachel could feel her throat got tighter and tighter and a single tear fell on her cheek. She turned on her heels and walked fast towards the table, gathering all her things once she arrived there. She has to go away from there. Away from him. She couldn't believe that she trusted him. She was a fool and just couldn't stand his sight right now. Now she could feel the tears fall freely from her eyes.

The group went silent while watching the petite brunette preparing herself to go away. They could see her tear-streaked cheeks and her red puffy eyes. Finn and Santana immediately worried and tried to find out what happened to her but she remained silent; she couldn't handle a conversation like that right now. So she just went out, deliberately ignoring the calls of her friends. As soon as she was out of there, took a deep, shaky breath and got in the first cab available.

She sobbed loudly, letting the sadness and the pain wash over her. Right now, she wished she had never met Noah Puckerman.

* * *

**Drama, my dearies! What do you think about this chapter? Please, let me know! I love hearing from you and reading your opinions!**

**Up Next: Noah's point of view and the confrontation (and something more...but you have to wait to know exactly what it it :))**


	14. Healing A Broken Heart

**Hello, you amazing and beautiful people!**

**As usual, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your amazing response and, most of all, for the absolutely lovely reviews! You guys are unbelievable and I just wish to hug tight each one of you and bake you tons upon tons of cupcakes and muffin because you totally deserve everything that good in life! You're making this FF experience, one of the most rewarding things that ever happened to me so... THANK YOU & KEEP REVIEWING!**

**So... now I leave you to the new chapter. It's quite long but... what can I say? I felt particularly inspired!**

* * *

Noah just went in the main hall full of women but looking just for his one. He stayed behind to pee so he was alone right now, facing the crowded club. He was making his way towards the crowd when he felt someone grab his arm and say with a nasal, sugar-coated voice "Hello handsome". He rolled his eyes when he recognized Kitty's voice. He was sick of her: from the first time they met there, when he turned her down, she went at the club to try her moves on her every single working night. Every. Single. One.

He would have hated it when he was single (he stayed the fuck away from such clingy women) and he hated even more now that he had Rachel. So, he turned on his heels to face her and, with an annoyed look, said "What the hell do you want today, woman? Have you any other men to stalk? Because, seriously, I'm getting quite sick of your mousey face".

Kitty flashed him what she thought was a sexy smile and told him while passing a finger on his chest up and down "Oh baby, don't play hard to get. I know that you want me. I know you want to do bad thing with me". He grabbed her wrist and pull it away from his body. With his voice filled with irritation, he stated "You're fucking delusional". But she freed her wrist and, with a quick movement, she grabbed him by his collar and her mouth was immediately on his.

He was shocked and it took a bit for him to realise what was happening. When he did, he put one hand on her forehead and pushed her away. "Listen to me, you little stalker. You came close to me again or I'll see you again here and, I swear to God, I'll press charge" he hissed and called for Azimio so he could throw her out of there.

She blinked at him surprised of his reaction and stutter "W-what are you t-talking about? You want me!", making him laugh out loud and answer "You're bat-shit crazy! I wouldn't touch your fugly ass even with a 5 feet pole!". As soon as Azimio arrived, Puck told him to get her the fuck out of there; so, the big black man grabbed her from her arm and dragged her out while she was stomping and making high-pitched yells.

Puck closed his eyes and took a long breath, passing his hands first on his Mohawk and then down his face. He started to walk towards the table but, once it came in sight, he couldn't find his sexy girlfriend so he immediately asked "Where's Rach?".

Santana started to yell in Spanish and was trying to kick him but she was held by a furious looking Finn, who, even if he wanted to kill the man, didn't want to make a scene at the club. So he hissed "Puck, dressing room, NOW!" and walked dragging Santana with him. Noah and the others followed the two behind the curtain, down the hallway and then inside the room.

When the door was closed, he told "Now, someone can tell me what the fuck is wrong with crazy face over there", pointing at Santana "and tell me where my girlfriend is?". Santana growled and answered "I don't know what the hell did you do, but you're going to regret that. She went to look for you and, when she came back, she was crying and just ran away! So, now, I'm asking you, fucktard, what the hell have you done for her to react like that".

Noah's eyes grew exponentially and his heart stopped in his chest. He fell on the couch behind him and grabbed his head in his hands muttering under his breath.

Rachel saw the kiss between him and Kitty. She saw it all.

He felt like all his world was tumbling down. His throat went a little bit tighter and he felt like his eyes were getting misty.

A light weight sat next to him and someone put a hand on his shoulder. "Puck" Brittany's gentle voice said "Would you tell us what happen, please?". He waited to regain control of himself and then replied "Kitty kissed me and, I guess, Rachel saw that". He shook his head and lean his back on the couch covering his eyes with his forearms.

He could feel his friends' reaction at the news, especially the boys who knew Kitty and her crazy obsession for the hazel-eyed man. Then a voice caught his attention "Did you kiss her back?". Noah straightened up and he stared to Santana, who was looking at him with a straight face. He sighed and told her "No... it lasted just a couple of seconds! As soon as I realized what the fuck was going on, I pushed her away and told her that if she would ever come close to me again I would press charges".

She nodded thoughtfully and looked at Finn for a confirm, as if she didn't really know if she could really trust him. Finn was staring at the mohawked man, without saying a word. When he finally decided to speak, he said with a very serious voice "I believe you". Puck and Finn was staring at one and Santana looked at her best friend's brother and nodded. She trusted his opinion and she knew that Finn would kick his ass otherwise so, if he said that he trusted him, Santana would follow his lead as well. Moreover, even a blind man could see how much Puck loved Rachel and no way in hell he would jeopardize their relationship for a common whore.

The Latina closed her eyes, inhaled deeply from her nostrils and pinched the bridge of her nose. Then she opened her eyes and, with a firm voice, stated "You're going to fix this. Right now. I don't care if you're still working or some bullshit like that". The others nodded and Sam said "I can cover for you, man. Go, find her and fix this mess, alright?". Puck nodded and clapped a hand on his best friend's and thanked him.

He was about to get out of the room when Finn stopped him and told him "Wait, Puck!", making the mohawked man turn. The tall one threw him the keys for his and Rachel's place and shot his a small goofy grin and, before Noah disappeared, pleaded "Please, don't make me regret this".

The hazel-eyed man looked at him and nodded seriously. He wouldn't fuck it up, especially if it meant losing Rachel.

* * *

Rachel was lying in her bed, curled under the thick blanket, and was sobbing. The ache from her broken heart made it hard to breath and crying was the only thing she could do but even the hiccups and the salty taste of her tears couldn't keep her mind away from the stream of thoughts in it.

She believed him; he told her that he loved her and she believed him. What a fool she was; she gave him her heart and he stomped on it like it was nothing. He promised her that he wouldn't hurt her; sure he also told her that he would probably fuck it up but she trusted him, she knew that he was so much more than what he thought he was and this was one of the reason why it hurts so bad. Because their relationship was built on trust. But how could she trust him anymore? How could she when he was at the club kissing other women? Dancing and stripping, she could deal with that because, at the end of the day (or of the night, in this case), she was the one he kissed goodnight, she was the one he held in his arm and she was the one he made love to. But now, every time he would go to work, she would think of that kiss. Was that woman the only one he kissed since their relationship started? Or was it something that he usually do? She felt sick at the mere thought.

She didn't know what to do: on one hand, she wanted to hate him and call him names but, on the other one, she loved him. She loved him like she had never loved anyone before and this fact was tearing her heart apart. This emotional distress just made Rachel cry harder and curl a little bit further under the security of the blankets.

Twenty minutes later, Puck ran out of the cab and towards the stairs, taking three steps at the time. He had to talk to Rachel as soon as possible. He had to explain and make it clear to her that she was the only one that matter to him.

He opened the door and entered in the very quite apartment, looking for Rachel but he didn't see her in the living room. The only clue that she was there were her abandoned shoes and her coat resting on the couch. But, in the silence, he heard some sobs, that made his heart clenched, coming from her bedroom.

He went for the handle but she had locked the door; so he started to knock on it and said "Babe? Please, Rach, let me in. Let me explain!". But Rachel's broken voice yelled from the inside "Go away, Puck!".

Puck. She just called him Puck and he had never hated his nickname so much as in that moment.

Noah rested his forehead on the cold wood of the door and pleaded her "Rachel, please. I didn't kiss her, she kissed me! I love you!". After some seconds from his statement, he heard her unlock the door and his heart felt a little bit lighter but, when she opened abruptly the door and slapped him right in the face, it fell down in his stomach again.

Rachel glared at him with fire in her eyes and stated "Do not lie to me, Noah Puckerman! Don't you dare!" but Noah shook his head fiercely and replied "Fuck Rach! I'm not lying to you! You're the only one I have ever loved! I swear I stopped her as soon as I realised what the fuck was going on… It's not my fault crazy chicks jump on me because of what I do for living!".

Rachel was standing in front of him with her arms crossed in front of her stomach and tears on her beautiful face. Puck tried to touch her and hold her but she refused to be touch by him and it was like she gave him another slap, a more painful one. After a brief silence, Rachel said between sobs "So, I guess, I just can't be on your lifestyle".

Puck felt like throwing up. Was she saying what he think she was saying? Was she really breaking up with him? He shook his head frantically and started to mutter "No, no, no" while she kept going "I don't want to be hurt because you can't separate your professional life from your personal one. It hurts too much".

At that, Noah exploded "Bullshit, Rachel. This is fucking bullshit! Am I the Puckerone right now talking to you? Hell no! Rach, I'm not my lifestyle!", making the petite brunette reply "Do you really believe what you're saying right now?".

He stared at her shocked but then answered "Yes, I do. And do you want to know why I do? Because you made me believe it! Because you said that I was so much more than just a nice body! Because I am worthy enough to love and to be loved by someone like you!". He put his hands on his head and tried to calm down before adding "Please, don't break up with me because a skank kissed me. Please. We're so much more than that".

That little speech made Rachel crumble down, both literally and figuratively. She leaned on the nearest wall and slid down until she was seated on the floor. She was sobbing loudly and tears were falling free. With pain in her voice, she said "I love you so much, Noah. And I really wish to just forget everything that happened tonight, but I can't. I can barely look at you right now. I don't know what to do".

Puck kneeled down in front of her and wiped away the tears that he didn't notice he had in his eyes too. His hands itched from the desire to touch her but he wanted to give her space so he just told her, with a trembling voice "Please, don't give up on me. On us. I love you". She stared into his beautiful hazel eyes and stated "I need time to think. Please, give me time because I really don't know if I can trust you again".

He nodded with sadness in his heart; he owed it to her after the mess they were in because of him and that crazy bitch of a stalker. However, he asked "Can I at least call you?". She shook her head and replied "No, I just need some time by myself to think it through. I'll call you when I'll figure it out".

He couldn't resist anymore so he kissed her forehead sweetly and buried his hand on her hair before getting up and saying "Alright, I'll leave some time to figure it out. But, please, remember that you're my fucking everything, babe. I will do anything to win your trust back. Anything. Give me another chance. I love you, Rachel". With that, he went out of the apartment, leaving a sobbing Rachel on the floor.

He locked the main door and put the key under the mat for Finn later that night and jumped on the first available cab, directed to his apartment. There was no way in hell he could mentally survive at the rest of the night at work. He just wanted to take a hot shower and pretend that tonight was a fucking nightmare.

Once he laid on his bed, he tried to pretend he didn't miss her cuddle next to him, or the sweet scent of her shampoo or the way they would talk in hushed tones before falling asleep. But the pain was too much for him to handle and, alone in his apartment, he started to cry for the first since the night he had to give Beth away.

* * *

After that night, Rachel was the shadow of the bubbly woman she had always been. The only times she dragged herself out of bed were when she had to go to class (she wouldn't let her broken heart ruin her academic performance), since she quit her job at the diner and rehearsals wouldn't start for another two weeks.

The rest of the time, she would just lay in her bed, "Where does my heart beat now" on repeat and boxes upon boxes of Kleenex around her. She was barely eating and no matter how many times Finn and her friends begged her to go out with them, she would stay into the safe cocoon that was her bedroom.

Finn and Santana had never seen her like that for none of her previous break-ups: usually she would throw herself in her studies or in other activities, keeping her mind and body occupied. They knew how to act with hyperactive Rachel but this moping Rachel was totally new and they didn't know what to do to help her. And the also grew tired of the song; okay, it was a great song but she listened to it at least a thousand times a day and Finn had to physically hold Santana and convince her that break the CD into pieces wouldn't do any good to Rachel.

Puck was dealing with it the only way he knew how: punching bag, weightlifting, silence, sulking and a lot to Jack Daniels. He barely talked to his friends and, when he did, his words were full of sarcasm, anger and bitterness but, since he knew that they had nothing to do with his crappy situation, he just preferred to shut up and not take it out on them.

Even at work his behaviour changed: instead of talking with the clients after his performances, he would just stay in the dressing room, sipping at his drink. Of course, it leaded to some heated arguments with Schue, who was still weird as fuck and totally out of his mind (some of the guys started to thinking that he was on drugs because of the way he acted). The owner would bitch around how he should find his old self so he could start acting as a professional instead of crying over a fucking whore who just dumped his sorry ass. The guys had to stop the mohawked man from breaking the curly-haired man's face after that statement.

The only thing that kept him sane while waiting for a sign from Rachel was hitting the gym. For hours, with rock music blasting in his ears and alone, he would express his frustration pushing his body until it burned, until his mental pain would turn into a physical one.

He barely went out with his friends since the all mess blew up in his face, he really didn't feel like going out and having fun if he couldn't share it with the person he cared the most.

So you could understand his surprise when, two weeks after all went to shit between him and Rachel, he opened the door of his and Sam's place and was met by the sight of one Santana Lopez.

He immediately narrowed his eyes at her and he didn't even utter any words that Santana already invited herself in and started to walk towards the hallway that lead to the bedroom, acknowledging Sam with a quick nod. The only thing Puck could do was closing the door and following her. He found her standing in the hallway, looking at him as she asked and pointed at the two closed doors "Which ones is yours?". Without saying a word, he walked further in the hallway and opened his bedroom's door, going in and sitting on his bed. The Latina entered in the room as well and closed the door behind her.

"How can I help you, Santana?" he asked as he stared at Rachel's best friend, who was standing in front of him with her arms crossed on her chest and answered "It's about Rachel".

He froze in the spot and, with a worried voice, he questioned "Is there something wrong with her? Is she okay? Is she sick or something?". The woman sighed deeply and shook her head before she started to talk "She's a fucking mess, Puck. I've never seen her like that in all our years of friendship. She barely eats and I'm sure she lost at least a couple of pounds. When she's not crying, she's staring at the ceiling while she listens to Celine fucking Dion. You have to fix this, Puck".

His already broken heart broke in smaller pieces as Santana spoke but he didn't know how to help her so he said defeated "I don't know how I can help her. I'm doing what she asked me: I'm giving her space until she understand what she wants" but that made Santana scoff and walk towards him with fire in her eyes "Oh, for fuck's sake, Puck! Don't be a fucking pussy and get your woman back! Don't stand there just moping around, do something! Find the balls you handed to her and fight! I'm tired to see her like that. We all are! That is not our Rachel and we want her back. So, are you done being a fucking pussy and ready to get Operation: Puckleberry Reunion on track?".

Santana was right and he knew that immediately so he stood up and he nodded convincingly and smiled for the first time in weeks. He had to come up with a kickass plan to win her back but he already had a great idea so, smirking at the Latina, he said "I have an idea but I will need a hand from all of you".

Santana smirked back at him and stated "We're all in. So what do you, princess, have in mind?".

* * *

Rachel blinked her eyes open and stretched her arms before sit up and rub her eyes. She would love to stay in bed but she had to be in perfect time at NYADA because the first lesson of the day was with Cassandra July and she didn't want to give her any other reasons to hate her.

She arrived at the Academy and went to the changing room, where all the lockers were. She turned the right combination in the lock, making it click, and, when she opened it, she was surprised to see a Starbucks cup in the centre shelf. She frowned a little and looked around the room to see who could had put it there but none of her friends were there.

She grabbed it and almost dropped it when she read what was written in the paper strip around the cup: in a very familiar writing, she read "'Are you ready for this?' 'Let's kick some ass!' …Kick her ass, Babe. XO" and a chuckle left her lips. Rachel remembered very much the evening when she and Noah exchanged those words. They were at Santana and Brittany's place for Game Night and they said it before their turn in Pictionary; she still remembered his laughter after she cussed and the way he hugged her afterwards stating that she was 'fucking hot when she had a potty mouth'.

She took off the top from the cup and inhaled the sweet scent of non-fat soy cappuccino with cocoa powder on top (She would usually prefer Tea but, to face the beast, she needed all the energy possible and he knew that).

Rachel smiled and passed a finger on his messy handwriting while a little tear escaped from her eye. She sniffed and wiped the watery trail it left behind and started to get ready for class. She knew that she missed him immensely and this little gesture made her miss him even more. However, she didn't feel ready to face him or forgive him yet.

Before leaving the changing room, she slid down the strip of paper and put it in the internal pocket of her bag, keeping it safe. She walked to class with a little smile and waved at some of her classmate, who was already warming up, while sipping at the treat Noah sent her.

Kurt arrived when she was already halfway with her exercises. He waved at her and chirped "Good morning, Diva! How are you in this fine morning?", making her smile and tell him about what she found in her locker. He swooned and gushed about the gesture, saying to her "The man is a fighter and he would do anything to win you back. I can see your walls crumbling down already. You know you love him and I really wish you'd make up your mind soon so we can have our Puckleberry back!". She shook her head good-heartedly and laughed at Kurt's statement.

She had to wait for other 5 days to get a new surprise from Noah.

It was movie night for her and Santana and the two were so tired that they fell asleep on the couch. It was past midnight when the petite brunette woke up with her throat dried so she tried to move as lightly as possible, since her friend seemed so peaceful in her sleep, and got a drink.

She got up, sent a brief text to Brittany to inform her that the Latina would sleep over that night and turned off the TV before heading to the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of water and walked to her room sipping at it. Absent-mindedly, she threw the bottle on her bed and took a blanket from her closet; she came back in the living room and covered her best friend, pecking her forehead and whispering "Sleep tight, Tana".

She re-entered in her bedroom and went for the bottle just to see that it landed on an envelope that Rachel was sure wasn't there that afternoon. She sat down and took it in her hands, checking if there were any hints about who might had sent it to her or how on Earth did it end up on her bed but she had such no luck so the only thing left to do was to open it.

Her heart beat a little bit faster and a wide smile appeared on her face when, from the envelope, she slid out a cheesy card with two kittens on it. On the front of the card, there was written "Roses are red, violets are blue" in a loopy type that made Rachel laugh a little (she would had paid gold to see Noah pick up the card at the store!) but she was curious about what was written in the inside so she opened the card. The inside was completely white but Noah had written "I miss you" so that it occupied both the two blank pages of the card.

She put it on the nightstand next to the strip of paper from the coffee cup and she looked at them from her place under the blankets with a smile on her lips. A thought passed her mind, making her take a decision; she sat up abruptly, grabbed her phone and keyed a text for Noah. She knew that he was at work and he probably wouldn't answer immediately but maybe it was better that way.

**To: Noah "I miss you too. A lot. I just need a little more time to clear up my mind. But thank you for the coffee and the card (I always knew you secretively loved kittens in cards too), I really appreciated them and it was very sweet of you. Good night. XO"**

She fell asleep with her head full of thoughts about their relationship and wondering what she was supposed to do. Why was love so darn complicated?

In the morning, with the smell of coffee filling the house, she woke up and immediately checked her phone, finding a text from Puck indeed.

**From: Noah "I'll wait 4 you as long as u want if that means having u back in my arms. I miss u so fucking much, babe. I think I'm going insane. I love you (and, if it means having + chances to win u back, then I love sappy kittens in cards 2)"**

She grinned at the text and got out of her comfy bed, paddling her way to the kitchen and smiling brightly when Santana's groggy voice greeted her with a "Fuck, B. How the hell can you be so bubbly at this awful hour of the dawn?!". The petite brunette shrugged and pecked her cheek, sipping contentedly at the tea that her friend already prepared for her while losing herself in her thoughts. She missed the little smirk that played on the Latina's face when she went for another sip of her coffee. It seemed like Rachel was coming back to her usual self and Santana couldn't be happier: she really missed her best friend.

In the following days, Rachel and Noah exchanged some texts throughout the days and they never failed to put a smile on both of her faces.

One day, he wrote her a cryptic text, telling her to go to " Toys' R' Us" and ask for Lauren Zizes. She immediately asked him what he had in mind but he simply wrote her to trust him. So she inhaled deeply, put a jacket on and walked to the store. She didn't want to take a cab since April was approaching and the weather improving: it was a wonderful sunny day even if the cold still pinched her rosy cheeks.

When she arrived at the store, she looked around for an employee. Finally, she spotted a big woman with big glasses perched on her nose. She seemed quite intimidating but Rachel walked to her and asked nicely "Excuse me, may I ask you something?". The large woman just stood there, checking the petite brunette (making Rachel squirm a bit under her scrutiny), and told her "So, what's the question Polly Pocket?".

Rachel frowned and replied "I was told to ask for miss Lauren Zizes. Can you tell me where I may find her?". The intimidating woman tapped on her tag, where the brown-eyed woman read "LAUREN". Oh… so she was Lauren Zises… Well, Noah could had chosen a more polite employee to assist him, that's for sure.

However, Rachel smiled at Lauren and told her "Oh, so you're miss Zizes. I was sent here by Noah Puckerman and he told me to just ask for you so…". She didn't finish the speech that Zizes turned on her heels and started to walk away, leaving Rachel staring dumbfounded at her. She spent a couple of seconds unsure on what to do but then she decided to follow the rude employee. How on Earth did she get that job? Shouldn't clerks be always polite? If she wouldn't be focused on the task in hand, Rachel would definitely fill a complaint note to her director.

Lauren stopped so abruptly that the petite woman almost bumped against the other's large back. The rude woman turned to talk to her and simply said "Wait here, smurfette. I'll be right back". Rachel narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, tapping with her foot impatiently: she really couldn't wait to get out of the store and never see that obnoxious woman ever again. How did she dare call her smurfette? Had she never hear about politeness and kindness? Guess not.

Zizes returned with a teddy bear in her hand. She barely handed it to Rachel when she said "This is yours. Goodbye" before disappearing in one of the aisles.

Rachel took a good look at the teddy bear and smiled. It was a light brown, fluffy teddy bear but he was the teddy bear version of Puck: on his chubby face, black sunglasses were put so they would hide his cute plastic eyes and he wore a leather jacket. The jacket left his tummy in sight and, instead of the belly button, he had a red spot that had written on it "Push Me".

The petite woman tentatively pushed the tummy of the teddy bear and gasped when she heard Noah's voice come from inside the plush toy and say clearly "I love you, Babe". She pushed again and, this time, his voice said "I fucking miss you, Rach" (at which she rolled her eyes… Of course, he would make the teddy bear say some sort of curse!). With a third firm push, the teddy bear said with the familiar deep voice "Please, forgive me".

Rachel's eyes got a little bit misty and then she bolted out of that place and tried to catch a cab. When she finally got in one and told the driver the address, she checked her phone and hoped she was still on time.

She just put foot out of the car when she noticed two familiar heads walking in the opposite direction. Rachel ran to reach for them and, when she was at less then 9 feet from them, she yelled "Noah!".

Puck froze on the spot before slowly turning. He smiled widely when he saw his Rachel with an equally bread smile running towards him. She jumped in his arms and the two kissed like there was no tomorrow, tongues escaping and teeth pulling and biting. He was holding her tight against his body while her legs and arms were wrapped around him, leaving no room between them.

Sam stood there awkwardly until he fake-coughed and asked his roommate "I guess you're not coming today at the gym, right?". The mohawked man grunted something while still sucking Rachel's face off, which Sam took as an affirmative answered so he nod with straight face before saying "Very well… Rachel, it's a pleasure seeing you again, you've been missed". This time, she whimpered a sort of reply for the blonde man since she was too busy biting Puck's lower lip.

Sam stood a couple of minutes before he said "Oh, for the love of God! Go inside, I don't want to get you two out of jail for lewd acts in public space!". When the two lovebirds didn't move at all, Sam rolled his eyes and tugged his best friend's jacket, taking them in the hall if their building. He continued to drag them, warning Puck for every step in the way, until they arrived in front of the elevator.

As soon as the electronic door opened, the blonde shove them in it with delicacy and pushed the button for their floor, stepping outside before the door closed and saying with a smile "Remember to get out when the bell rings and have safe fun, kids!".

The two kept kissing until their lungs were burning and begging desperately for her. With heavy breath, the two kept that position while looking into each other eyes. Puck leaned himself against the wall of the elevator, squeezing her hands and the teddy bear between the cold surface and his warm body. In the silence, they heard his voice say "I love you, Babe", which make the both of them laugh out loud.

When the laughter subside, Noah looked at her in the eyes and asked her "Are you real?". The elevator door opened and she was still settled in his embrace. While he started to walk out, she pecked his cheek and nodded, brushing gently the tip of her nose against his light unshaved skin.

She breathed deeply his scent, feeling a smile appearing on his face. He opened the door and closed it behind them before bringing back their lips together and starting to kiss her heatedly again.

They rip each other's clothes off and the only time they slowed down a little was when she told him that she wanted to put Teddy down – making Puck whine like a kid. She took off her panties and jeans, came back to him and pushed him on the bed, kissing him hungrily and feeling his hands squeeze her ass.

He bit her shoulders, shooting the zone right after with his tongue, while their hips started to rub against the other, making them both hissed and moan. She grabbed his lobe between her teeth while she freed his shaft and begged him for a condom.

He laid on his back so he could reach the nightstand and the package of prophylactic but growled when he felt her tugged his nipple ring while sucking the other. He stayed like that with the foil package in his hand wanting to enjoy her smooth tongue on him but she reached for his hand and took the package. She ripped it open and slid it down his length, impaling herself. They both hissed and sucked a breath, both adjusting at each other again, before she started to ride him again.

It wasn't sweet, or romantic, they would have time for that later. It was almost animalistic. They barely speak to each other; the only sound in the room were the clap of their bodies when they met in trusts and their moans.

He brought himself up so he could wrap an arm around her and cup one of her breast in his hand. She grabbed his face and the two kissed deeply. They kept kissing until she reached the orgasm, when she had to detach herself from his mouth and bit forcefully his shoulder instead of yelling too loud his name. He felt her muscles tighten around his shaft and he followed her right after, moaning her name and holding her so tight that he was sure he left some marks on her.

They waited for their heartbeats to calm a little bit and then he slid on his bed, until he could lay completely on it with her on him. Gently, he turned on his side so her side was laying on the bed too before sliding out of her and kissing her sweetly.

He got up and got rid of the condom pretty quickly; he wanted to go back to her, he wanted to be sure that she was real in his arms and that everything was okay between them. So he re-entered in his room and laid down next to her, hugging her tight and letting her tangle her long perfect legs around his.

She buried her nose in his chest and pecked it lovingly, making him sigh deeply and kiss her crown. Tentatively, he said "So… are we good? Please, tell me that we are and that was not goodbye sex". His voice was so sweet that she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him slowly before saying "I love you, Noah. I can't lose you. These weeks were just… awful. Being away from you drove me crazy. So, yes, we are good but…". She sat up, and passed her hands on her face.

Noah frowned and sat up too, facing her, and invited her to go on so she continued "But… You have to promise me that what happened that night will never ever happen again. It's already hard for me to know that I have to share you with thousand of women; I can't think that you're kissing other women too. So tell me now if you can do that or if it's better for us to part". The last part was almost said in a whisper and Puck felt like he was the biggest asshole on earth.

He said to her "Come here, babe", waiting to have her curled between his legs and with her face on his chest before keep going "I just want you, Rach. It won't happen ever again. Never. I will do anything not to fuck it up ever again. It was like living hell being without you. You're my endgame, B".

Rachel started to silently cry against his chest while he rocked her and whispered sweet reassurances against her hair. After a couple of minutes, she sniffed and, while her hands were caressing his bare back and feeling the tone muscles, said "It hurt a lot, Noah. Please, don't do that to me again". He shook his head, stated "I won't. I promise. Believe me" and repeated it until she nod slightly.

Noah laid down again still holding her and they talked in hushed tones until they fell asleep with a smile on their face. Finally they were together and it felt like the holes in their hearts were filled again.

* * *

**I couldn't keep them away from one another... It was phisically painful for me to write the first part of this chapter!**

**Hope you liked it! Please, leave me a review with your opinion about it! I will appreciated it greatly and I will be more than happy to answer you!**

**See you soon!**


	15. Familiar Getaway

**Hello to all of you beautiful people!**

**As usual, I want to thank you for reading, favouriting, following and REVIEWING the last chapter! It really means a lot knowing what you think of my story and I'm always so happy to find a new review! Thank you for supporting me and my story: you are unbelievable and totally awesome!**

**Now, I leave you to the new chapter of "Welcome to New Directions!". See you at the end! ;)**

**A/N: Veggie95 made me notice that Noah's mum has two names here: Dianna and Sarah (I didn't know how to name her at first and I changed my mind when I already finished writing the chapter) . I'm so sorry! I'm looking for the mistakes and I'll fix as soon as possible! :) Thank you very much, my dear Veggie95! - Ok, now this problem should be solved. If anyone notice some other slips, please let me know -**

* * *

The life seemed going smoothly for the couple after their time off.

Rachel started the rehearsal and she loved every single minute of it. They started with some readings, so the cast would get to know each other better and become acquainted with the script. Her cast mates were rather lovely: she got along very well with everyone, especially with Holly, who was casted for Fantine. She was amazing, sometimes a little bit patronizing but she gave some wonderful tips to survive in the musical theatre world and to improve her Broadway carrier and she always congratulated Rachel on her vocal prowess and extension.

The director was really demanding, asking a lot from the performers, and Rachel couldn't agree more with him, since she was a perfectionist herself. But that meant that, by the end of the day, Rachel was exhausted because, in addition to the tiring rehearsal, she still had to go to her morning classes and prepare for the finals and the graduation showcase.

She was honoured to be invited to perform at the NYADA final showcase (as well of some of the best the academy seniors – included Kurt) and she was trying to find the perfect song and the time was running out since she had just a month an a half.

The only time she let herself take a breath was when she was with Noah who was wonderful and always remind her to take it easy ("You're going to have a fucking meltdown by the end of the month if you keep this shit up so put those damn papers down and bring your sexy ass here with me" – classy, uh?).

One night, after a relaxing evening with two of her favourite men, she and Noah were laying on her bed and chatting quietly. She was on her side with her legs around one of his and her head on his arm. His hand was drawing invisible soothing pattern in the small of her neck and she felt herself being dragged into sleep with his voice as a lullaby.

At one point, while she was struggling to keep her eyes open, he asked her "Are your dads going to come here for Passover next weekend?", at which she shook her head in response and said "No, we decided that, since they're going to come here for my graduation anyway, it was only logical that they save more days off for that period so we can spend more time with them and we can celebrate both my graduation and Finn's birthday".

Puck looked at her as she wiggled herself until she was perfectly tucked under his arm and sighed deeply with a content smile on her face and closed eyes. "So" he trailed "You could come with me to my hometown, if you want" and he watches as her eyes flew open when she finally understood what he was asking to her.

She looked at him in the eyes and said "I would love to but I have rehearsals… I don't know if Mr. Cole will give me time off this soon; we just started with rehearsals" but Noah shrugged and replied "You could always ask. Why wouldn't he give you days off for a religious festivity? And it's going to be just for four days at least. From Thursday to Sunday: two in my hometown and two in Boston with Beth and her family. I'd really like for you to meet her", speaking while looking at the way their hands seemed to perfectly intertwine.

She studied his features before smiling broadly and kissing him sweetly on the cheek. They stared into each other's eyes while she answered "I'll ask to Mr. Cole if I can take those days off… I would be more than honoured to come with you and meet your family and Beth".

He smiled back at her and kissed her on her lips before saying "Ok, then it's settled. Now sleep, babe. You look exhausted", at which she nodded against his chest. She fell asleep with him humming "Sweet Caroline" against her crown and a smile on her face.

* * *

After the green light by her director, the couple spent their time getting ready for their little trip.

Rachel found herself getting a little antsy at the thought of meeting the women that meant the most to Noah; she really wanted to be liked by them and make a good impression to them.

As soon as she let her mind wander, visions of Sarah Puckerman yelling at his boyfriend because she found his girlfriend an absolute disaster keep appearing and they were scaring her to death. But, when Rachel told Noah about her concerns, he laughed out loud and told her "Rach, calm the fuck down! She'll love you just because you're Jewish. She will shit a happy brick as soon as she'll see you! And this is the reason why I didn't tell her anything about you until yesterday. But I kept it quite blurry so don't worry. She barely knows your name".

Rachel's mouth flew open and screeched "WHAT?! You didn't say anything about me to your mother and sister? Are you kidding me right now? I told my fathers about you the day after we became a couple!". Puck understood that his spitfire of a girl was this close to lose her shit so he put his hands on her shoulders and spoke slowly "I did it because I love you".

She frowned and mumbled "What on…" but he stopped her shaking his head and adding "You don't know my mother. She takes the crazy to a whole new level! She's like the queen of all the bat-shit yentas all around the world. If I would had told her that I found a Jewish girlfriend: first she would had cried for a least a couple of hours and then she would had started to plan our wedding".

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms, replying "Noah, I'm sure she would had not done anything like that" and frowning a little deeper when her reply was met but a booming laugh. Puck tried to calm down a little before continuing "Babe, she told me that I wasn't better than the Nazis because I wasn't with a Jewish girl and, as soon as Becca made the huge mistake to talk – just talk - to a guy at Temple, she was already looking through wedding magazines. She stopped just because Becca burnt them while my ma was sleeping. So, believe me, babe, when I say that I didn't tell her anything about you because I love you. You're already going to spend two, and I say two, days with the crazy woman and that's more than enough, believe me babe! I'm going to give you a piece of advice to survive until Saturday: keep a low profile. The less you talk, the better and do not look at the beast in the eyes: she's going to turn you into stone".

Rachel scoffed and walked away from Puck: she would not believe that his mother was a psycho. She. Would. Not. (Even for her own mental health).

A couple of days later, it was the date of the departure. Right after lunch (and after Rachel, Finn and Santana exchanged big ass chocolate eggs and she left for them to eat some matzo soup since the two couldn't spend Eastover together) the couple was on his pick-up truck, which would usually rest in his garage.

It was a an almost 4-hours ride and the peace in the cabin lasted exactly three minutes since they started bicker almost the whole ride through.

* * *

"B, like hell I'm going to listen to some pop shit for the whole trip. My truck, my rules so get your hands off the radio and let a true man decide"

"I won't let my ears be damaged because of your poor tastes in music! At least, my songs' choices have words. You could put in this compilation I made of Barbra's greatest hits… Noah, what are you doing? Noah! I swear if you throw it out of the window you have to get acquainted with your right hand for a very, very long time!"

* * *

"Honey, I have to pee"

"Me too so, as soon as I can I'll pull over and we can pee there, in the bushes"

"Noah Puckerman, I won't pee outdoors for everyone to see and neither are you!"

* * *

"Babe, pass me another nutty chocolate matzo crunch you made. Shit's delicious. I'm hungry, woman! Feed me!"

"Honey, You ate them all. The others are in the trunk"

"WHAT? Babe, I'm hungryyy! I'm still growing up, I need to eat something! But, hey, I can always pull over so I can eat you first and then more crunch… OUCH! My arm. When did you learn to slap like that? I can feel the bruise forming, kiss it better?"

* * *

"Honey, look at me and say cheese! I want to send it to Tana so she knows that we're still alive"

"Oh, hell no I'm posing for a picture to send to Satan so she can say that I handed you my balls again"

"Don't worry about that, she will always say that but I defend you every time!"

* * *

"Are we there yet?"

"Berry, it's like the three thousandth time you asked me that and nothing changed from 30 seconds ago! Still an hour and a half so stop it!"

* * *

The last hour was quiet. Rachel fell asleep with his tight as pillow while he played with her hair absent-mindedly, his main attention still on the street. The radio was low so it wouldn't wake her up; she looked so peaceful with her lips slightly parted and her cheeks a little bit rosier than when she was awake.

When he saw the sight that said 'Entering Clinton', he pulled over and gently shook her awake, whispering "Wake up, Sleepyhead. Look where we are". Rachel blinked a couple of time before rubbing her eyes. He smiled fondly while she yawned, making high-pitched sounds, and sat up, taking in the new surroundings and smiling brightly when she saw the sign.

"You stopped!" the woman said excitedly, before getting out of the pick-up with her bright pink camera in hand and starting to take pictures of the sign.

Noah got out of the vehicle as well and smiled at her, leaning on the door. Rachel turned towards him and jumped on the spot, squealing "Let's take a picture together, Noah". He walked to her and took her camera from her small hands. After pushing some buttons, he put the camera at the top of the pick-up and ran to Rachel, lifting her in his arms.

As the first photo was taken, Rachel was laughing out loud in his arms with Puck laughing along with her and looking at her girlfriend. He definitely wanted a copy of that picture.

They took several photos in different position before getting in the car to resume their trip. Rachel checked herself in the mirror and whined "God, Noah, I look awful" while she tried to fix her hair and the make-up. She put so much effort trying to look perfect and all it took was an hour nap to destroy everything.

He shoot a quick glance at her and said "Calm down, Rach. You're beautiful". The petite woman smiled at him but rebutted "You're saying this just because you love me and you have to say that", making him scoff and say "I wouldn't have a problem to say that you look like shit, B. You're hot so relax". Rachel closed the sunshade and pecked his cheek several times until he started to laugh and dragged her next to him, resting his free hand on her hips while she rested her head on his shoulder.

In a couple of minutes time, Puck cut the engine of the vehicle in front of a lovely light grey terraced house with a white porch and fixtures and a well-kept front yard. She was starting at it with growing curiosity and taking in every single detail: from the outside you could see little white curtains tied at the bottom with a bow and, on the side of the walkway that leaded to the front door, small purple flowers were blooming. In the driveway, a blue sedan was parked.

Noah looked at her and asked "You ready to face the beast?", which drew a laugh out the petite woman. The two barely set foot on the ground that the door bust open showing a woman that could had been around her 50s. She was very skinny and had dark straight hair that fell on her shoulders and Noah definitely took his nose from her.

She trotted towards her son and wrapped him in a big hug. Rachel could hear him mutter, muffled by her mother's shoulder, while he reciprocated the embrace. Rachel knew that he was a momma's boy at heart: he really cared about her and his sister. He told her everything about his childhood and how he tried to help her mother from a very young age with the bills or how he basically raised his sister since his mother would work double-shifts at the hospital and they couldn't afford a baby sitter. Life hadn't been kind with them but, because of that, they were a very close family.

As soon as they broke the embrace, Noah's mother started to fuss about how skinny he was and about the fact that he barely called her. Puck rolled his eyes and shook her by the shoulders, saying "God, woman! I'm here from a couple of seconds and you're already going crazy on me?!". Then he turned to his girlfriend and added "Told you she's bat-shit! Remember, babe: don't look at her in the eyes!".

Noah's mother's eyes fell immediately on Rachel, who was standing a few steps behind since she wanted to left to the two of them a moment to greet each other, and zoomed on her nose before studying her entire figure.

The young woman squirmed a little bit uncomfortably before deciding to introduce herself to his boyfriend's mother. "Hello Mrs. Puckerman. I'm Rachel Berry, it's a pleasure meeting you" kindly stated the petite woman, extending her hand, which the other one took still a little bit surprised.

Rachel panicked at her silence and looked at Noah for help, which him immediately provided saying to his mother "Ma, you're freaking her out! Say something, crazy lady!". That seemed to snap the older woman out of her trance. In fact, she narrowed her gaze at her son and chastised him by saying "You watch your mouth, young man. Remember that I created you so I can destroy you too!", before smiling at the girl "Hello Rachel, I'm Sarah Puckerman, Noah's mom. Are you Jewish, honey?".

Puck growled and started to unload the truck: he didn't want to be there when Rachel would making his ma's dream come true, so that she would start to throw at him not-so-subtle glances that meant "marry her and give me beautiful Jewish grandchildren!". He would already have to deal with all this shit for two days and it was more than enough for him to handle.

When he rejoined the women, Rachel was saying "I baked the Apricot Torte, my family's favourite, and I really hope you'll like it s well! I asked Noah if you or Rebecca had any type of allergies but he told me that you two didn't have any so…".

Sarah was looking at her as if she hung the moon and the stars, making Noh snicker next to them. Sarah hugged Rachel sideway and said "You're a sweetheart, Rachel. Let's go inside; Noah will bring your things" as they started to walk towards the door, leaving a shocked Puck behind. "It's nice to know how you treat your firstborn, ma!" he yelled, picking up his duffel bag and Rachel's trolley, along with the bag with the cake and the rest of matzo crunch.

He entered in his childhood house and winked with a smile when his eyes met his girlfriend's chocolate one. His mother was talking a mile per hour and he could tell that it was too much even for Rachel so he decided to save her by saying "Ma, let her breath! I'm taking her upstairs so she can see where we're sleeping and go to the bathroom. In the meantime, calm down. You have two days to wear her out. C'mon B, follow me". Rachel shoot an apologetic look at Noah's mom, who smiled at her and sign her to follow Puck.

They entered in his old bedroom and she could presume that Mrs. Puckerman left it just how it was during Noah's adolescence. The walls were white and, taped on them, there were posters of rock bands and Victoria Secret's models along with some other personal pictures. She went a little bit closer to take a good look at them: some of Noah with his teammates, one with a little crying baby wrapped in a pink blanket (Rachel supposed she was Beth the day she was born) and several of a younger Puck with his mother, an older woman and a girl with black hair tied up in two pigtails. In those last pictures, Noah didn't have the Mohawk yet and Rachel found herself giggle a little.

She felt his arms slide around her waist and his chin rest on her shoulder before she heard his voice say "What are you looking at?". She tapped at one of the picture where he was with his family and replied "You had your head fully cover with hair back then. You were so cute!".

She started to laugh when he growled and buried his face on the crook of her neck "I was a badass still then" but she turned in his embrace and took his face in her hands, squeezing it a little, stating playfully "You were really, really cute. You were adorable so stop with all that and just admit that I'm right".

She pecked his lips but, as soon as hers touched his, he held her tighter and kissed her more passionately, gently pushing his tongue inside her mouth. When they broke the kiss, he smiled against her lips and whispered "Fine, babe. But that will cost you something", which she just raised an eyebrow. He was about to continue when he heard the front door shut forcefully and his sister's loud voice yell "I'm home!".

He groaned at the interruption but he pecked Rachel's lips another time and grabbed her by the hand, dragging her down the hallway and downstairs.

A young girl was sat on the couch comfortably and was nipping at one of the numerous snacks Noah's mom prepared for Rachel. She was beautiful: long straight dark hair framed an tan face. She had the same deep hazel eyes of Noah and a really cute small nose.

The girl smirked at her brother and got up, jumping in his arms and squeezing him tight in her arms.

"Hey Noah! You've been missed around here!" Rebecca said still hugging him and kept holding him until he said back "I've missed you too, squirt".

As soon as they broke the embrace, Puck put an arm around Rachel's shoulder and introduced her to his sister "Becca, this is Rachel, my girlfriend. Rach, this pain in the ass is my sister Rebecca". "It's really nice to meet you Rebecca. Noah said wonderful things about you" Rachel told Becca with a bright smile but Rebecca stared at the brunette at Noah's side for a couple of seconds before going off on her brother "Are you fucking kidding me? You found a Jewish girlfriend? Do you know that my life will turn into a fucking nightmare because of that, right? Rachel, no offence, really . You seem like a great and lovely girl and I don't even know why you're with my pig of a brother". Becca came closer to her brother and pointed menacingly at him seething "We had a deal, lame-Puckerman! You knew that she would set as her life's goal to find me a Jewish boyfriend as soon as you would find a Jewish girlfriend. I don't want to date them! They're just…" the youngest shuddered at the mere thought, making Sarah roll her eyes and question "Why are my children so disrespectful to me? Are you so disrespectful with your parents too, Rachel?".

"Did your parents say that going out with a non-Jewish guy is like betraying your roots and the memory of all those who lost their life for our religion, even if you barely go to the temple and don't even know some of the prayers?" pointed out Becca but Mrs. Puckerman simply scoffed at her.

Rachel was looking at the whole scene with big doe eyes and felt like a deer in lights but answered anyway, even if a little bit tentatively "No to both of your question. My family is not completely Jewish and we don't like prejudices and labels; if you're a good person and have a good heart, you're okay in our book".

Sarah Puckerman was taken aback by her statement: what did she mean with 'not completely Jewish'? (she wouldn't count the fact that Rachel basically told her she was racist because she kinda was… Not in her general life, she would treat everyone equally and kindly no matter what their religion and skin colour was, but what's wrong with wanting your kids to date people that share something so important as their religion?!) She frowned a little and disappeared in the kitchen.

The other three were still standing in the living room when Sarah's yell pierced their ears "Dinner will be ready in 20. And then, I want to know what is with that nonsense of 'My family is not completely Jewish', got it?".

Rachel gulped, put her head in her hands and started to whine "Oh, Noah. She hates me! I'm so sorry; I wanted everything to be perfect because I know how much you care about your family but I ruined everything".

She felt herself being dragged outside by her boyfriend while he growled to his sister "Go tell her to cut the crazy or, I swear to God, we're out of this house faster than she can tell 'Oy vey'" but this made Rachel stop and fist his shirt "No, I don't want to cause you trouble between you and your mother. Please, honey, don't be mad at her".

Rebecca put a hand on the petite woman's forearm and smiled at her saying "Don't worry, Rachel. She just her crazy usual self and, if she keeps that act up, you're more than entitled to walk out that door and never come back. I just hope that this bump in the road won't stop us from get to know one another better and be friends". This drew a sincere smile out of Rachel, who told her, before going out on the porch with Puck "Thank you, Rebecca. It really means a lot to me and I would love to become your friend".

As soon as they were outside, Puck held her tight and rested his chin on her head while she breathed deeply and tried to relax thanks to the way his hands were moving up and down her spine.

"I'm sorry I messed up, honey. So, so sorry" she started talking but he hushed her immediately and grabbed her chin with one finger, lifting it gently until their eyes met "You didn't. Don't worry, babe: everything is going to be just fine and I really hope that my ma comes back to her senses and starts to act like a normal person. I told you she was crazy".

She hugged him tighter and the two simply breathed, standing there in each other's arms and finding, for the first time since they arrived in Clinton, a little bit of peace.

He was the first to break the long silence "I love you, you know that, right? None crazy mother of mine would change that, okay?". She rose on her tip toes and pecked his lips before saying in a whisper "I love you too".

The two smiled at each other and were about to kiss again when a throat-cleaning cough made them turn abruptly, almost as if someone caught them doing something wrong. Becca was looking at them with a smug smile on her face while leaning on the door. "Dinner's ready and I calmed ma down. It's safe to come in now" the girl informed before entering back in the house.

Puck put his hand in the small of her back and tugged her lightly towards the door, always staying by her side. When they went into the kitchen, Sarah was standing next to the kitchen counter and immediately said in a regretful tone "Rachel, I sorry if I overreacted a little. I don't want you to think that I'm a crazy woman as my children always say. So, what about we sit around the table, eat dinner and start anew?". Rachel nodded and smiled a little, taking the seat Noah moved for her to seat.

The dinner was lovely and Rachel told Sarah and Rebecca her family's story: how her dads were high school sweethearts and when, 15 years into their relationship, they decided to extend their little family. She told them the struggle her parents faced to find a suitable woman who was willing to carry their baby and the happiness they felt once Rachel was born. She also told them of the prejudices of the closed-minded town people that always spoke on their back and how they thought they were immoral.

Her voice soften when she talked about Finn's biological parents: his dads' first friends in Lima who cared for them and always stood by their side when someone went too far with their hurtful comments. She continued telling the women of their deaths, how Finn became part of the family and why her dads decided that it was only fair for them to support Finn's Christianity. They owned it to his parents, their best friends, and to him too.

The last part of her long speech was about her high school's years (or, at least, a polished version of it – she didn't want anyone's pity), her glee club experience and about when Santana was welcomed in her family after her parents kicked her out because she came out to them.

The Puckermans (Noah too, even if he already knew all of that) listened to her story, basically were hanging off Rachel's words. When Noah's girlfriend finished talking, the two other women remained silent until Becca said "Holy fuck! You're a national show choir champion?! I'm in a glee club too but we never made it past Regionals! Have you any good tips for me?".

With that, the dinner took a lighter tone and, in the end, everyone had a great time and ate Rachel's cake on the couch while watching some TV show Rebecca loved.

After awhile, Rachel started to yawn so Puck sent her to change and go to bed, promising her to be right back. As soon as she was upstairs and out of earshot, his mother started to fawn over her and how beautiful, polite and talented she was. She was like a mother's dream come true (He wanted to laugh so bad: that was the same woman who snapped at his girlfriend and walked out of the room just a few hours earlier!). His sister, on the other hand, only said "She seems great".

He kissed both goodnight and found Rachel already under the blankets, looking at him with sleepy eyes from under her long eyelashes. He sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed her before saying "They fucking love you. I told you not to worry", at which she nodded happily and replied "They're great too. Lovely". He caressed her still dump hair and moved out of the way some locks that fell on her beautiful face.

Noah smiled at her, pecked her forehead and told her "Sleep, babe. I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll come back". Rachel yawned, covering her mouth with one hand, and nodded again, saying "Goodnight honey. I love you". He flicked his bedroom's light off after he said those three words right back at her and grabbed his pyjamas' pants, heading to the bathroom. After a long day like this, a hot shower was what Puck wanted the most (well… Sex in the shower would be fun-fucking-tastic but it had to be postponed for another time).

By the time he came back in the room, Rachel was sound asleep and the only thing he could do was slide under the quilt, drag her gently next to him and follow her in a more-than-deserved sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Noah got up quite early because he promised his sister he would had taken her to school were she had some extra rehearsals with her glee club. When he went downstairs, the girl, who was already fixing their breakfast, smirked at him and greeted him by saying " 'Morning lazyass! I thought that you were still sleeping… I was about to come up and haul your fat ass out of bed!".

"My fat ass?! Did you look at it recently? My ass is fabulous!" he replied and laughed out loud when she gagged in response. She set the plate with the scrambled eggs in front of him and the two munched their breakfast, bickering like they always did when he was back at home.

The two siblings were in the car when Rebecca said "You really love Rachel, uh?" but he rebutted "What the hell are you talking about, squirt?". She rolled her eyes and punched lightly his arm before saying "Oh, don't play all badass with me, Noah! I heard you two on the porch and you were all cute all evening long, so cut the crap and tell me everything".

"What do you want to know, Becks? That she's one of the best fucking things that ever happen to me and that I still don't have a clue on why she wants me when she could have less fucked up dudes around? Because that's what Rach is to me. So…" he just shrugged and glanced at his sister sideway, seeing her with a thoughtful expression on her face. She wiggled a bit in the seat before stating " She's ass over heels in love with you, that's pretty clear… And the same goes for you. I never saw you like that with a girl. Think you're finally growing up. Rachel is great but don't forget that you're pretty great too when you're not being an asshole, so she's just as lucky. So, if she ever break your heart, let me know and I will kick her butt. Us Puckerman have to stick together, right?".

He just pulled over her school. He took a good look at her little sister and nodded with a real smile on his face. She kissed his cheek and got off the car but, as soon as she closed the door, Rebecca tapped on the window, signalling him to lower it. "You tell someone that we had this conversation and I kick your ass too. Got it?". He just laughed out loud and started the truck to come back home to his mum and girlfriend.

Puck found Rachel and his ma talking happily around the kitchen table once he arrived at his childhood home. He sat next to her, kissed her forehead and ate a piece of her waffles, moaning. His ma's waffles were the shit! It was one of the things that he missed the most now that he was away from his family. A plate of waffles appeared in front of him too, making him grin at his mom and digging at them merciless.

Rachel laughed at his behaviour and caressed his back while sipping at her cup of tea with honey. Being there with his family was easier than she thought. Once they overcame that initial misunderstanding, Becca and Sarah were really fun and nice to be around.

When Puck polished his plate, he gulped and, licking the chocolate syrup from his fingers (he was like a big baby when he ate that kind of stuff!), he looked at her and asked "You ready to go out? We have the day full". Sarah smiled at them and questioned "What are you kids up to?". Rachel shrugged at her since she didn't have a clue but Puck replied "First we're going to visit Nana Connie then I'll show her around the Reservoir and I think we'll grab something somewhere for lunch before going to take Becca at school".

Sarah nodded smiling and went out of the room, happy to see how cute her baby boy and Rachel were together.

* * *

They arrived at the retirement home where Nana Connie lived almost an hour later and, as soon as Noah entered, he was greeted by some of the employees and nurses who immediately indicate where they could find the old woman. They found her in the common hall, playing bridge with three other elderly ladies.

"Nana!" he said excitedly (he really loved his bubbe… she was like a mother figure to him, since she took care of him when her mother was at work and she always supported them, disowning her only son after he took off and left his wife and children behind), making the woman turn in surprise. She had the same hazel eye that Rachel loved so much and she had grey short hair. Her wrinkled face was reassuring and it lit up when her eyes met the ones of her grandson.

She got up and, with arms wide open, walked to them, hugging Noah as soon as he was at arm's length. "_Bubbeleh_, it's so nice to see you. How are you?" she asked sincerely, listening closely to what he had to say. "And" he continued "I wanted you to meet my girlfriend, Rachel".

Rachel took a step forwards and extended her hand and timidly said "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Puckerman. Noah always talks about you with upmost respect and affection." The old woman looked at the hand and told her "What's with this non-sense of shaking hands? Come here and give Nana Connie a hug!". Rachel was engulfed in the hug as Connie Puckerman squeezed her tightly. When they broke it, Puck's grandma looped her arms into theirs and directed them towards the table where she was first seated, telling them that they absolutely had to play Bridge with her and Madge because Judith and Dorota were plain awful.

They spent almost all morning playing with her while she asked Rachel everything that came up in her mind: she wanted to know if she was worthy of his Noah because even if his boy fucked up many times (her words precisely), he had a very good heart and not all the people knew that. The older woman was very funny and bubbly and she was one of the most requested people in there. In fact, they left the retirement home because she promised Arthur that she would have played badminton with him.

It was lunch time so they grabbed something to eat in a drive-thru and eat it in the picnic area of the Reservoir before starting to walk around it, across the several walking trails that surrounded the lake. The lake was his favourite spot back home: it was calm and there were some trails that were less used by tourists so it was easy to be alone and just think about everything. He went there quite often in his high school's days and usually the centre of his thoughts was Beth.

Rachel was having the time of her life, taking tons of pictures and enjoying the company of her boyfriend and his warm hand wrapped around hers. He pointed to her the most important things around the lake: it was the perfect day for scenic views because the sky was clear and the temperature mild. All around, flowers were blooming and birds singing and, in the lake, they saw some fishes swimming.

"Noah, it's beautiful here! Thank you so much for showing it to me. I love it! Can't wait to show all these pictures to Finn and Santana!" she happily said, making him laugh out loud "Poor guys! Why do you hate them so much?". She pouted and slapped his arm before turning on her heels and looking at the water under them, resting her elbows on the wooded bridge barrier.

He slid his arms around her waist and rested his chin o her shoulder, looking at the water as well and whispering "I'm happy you're with me".

She turned her head and pecked his cheek, lingering there a little bit longer than usual before taking a picture of the two like that.

They kissed deeply for a little while, his strong arms boxing her, until he broke the kiss and stated "Come on, little nature lover, we've got a teenager to pick up from school and I don't want to hear her whine about us being late. She can be annoying as fuck", talking her hand and walking away.

The rest of their stay in Clinton went smoothly and soon came Saturday morning, their time to say goodbye to Sarah and Rebecca Puckerman. Rachel was very happy to have found a friend in his boyfriend's sister and the two exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses to be sure to keep in touch. Sarah wept a lot when she had to say farewell to her son and her (hopefully) future daughter-in-law (she would be a lovely winter bride, in Sarah's opinion) and made them promise to come visit soon.

After a while, Puck's truck drove away from the driveway. Direction? Boston and Beth.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think about it? Do you like it? Hate it? Let me know by reviewing it, writing in the white box below! You would really make me euphoric! So... Please, pretty please? :) See you soon with another chapter of "Welcome to New Direction!"!**


	16. Would you let it go?

**Hello to every single one of you, beautiful people!**

**I wanted to thank you so much for showing your support to me and this story! Every review, every fave and every follow make my heart sing! Especially, I wanted to thank the ones who took their time to write their opinion! Your reviews really mean the world to me and I'm always so happy to read what you think about this story! So, please, keep reviewing!:)**

**I leave you to the new chapter and I really hope you'll enjoy it as well!**

* * *

After an hour, Puck and Rachel arrived in the lovely hotel where they would be staying for the night. It was a five stars hotel and Rachel was looking around like a child in a candy store while Puck was looking at her amused: he wanted to treat her like a queen and, since he had money because of his work, he would do just that.

As soon as they were alone in their room, Rachel turned to him and said "Noah, this looks really expensive! You didn't have to do that!", watching him as he jumped in the bed and got comfortable against the fluffy pillows. He grinned and replied "Babe, you had to go through two days with my ma and sister. This is my way to apology for them". She sat down next to him, grabbed his face and stated "They were anything but lovely so you have anything to apologize for" before kissing him sweetly, licking his bottom lip and moaning when their tongues touched in his mouth.

He dragged her on his lap and his hands went immediately under her light sweater, taking it off, and caressed her smooth back until his hands arrived at her strapless bra, opening it and feeling it fall down between them. Rachel took it off the way when she unhook the last button of his shirt, before taking it off of him and scratching lightly at his ripped arms.

They smiled against each other's lips and he growled "Fuck, B. Missed you like that. Two days. I was about to go insane" so that Rachel kissed him with more passion and lowered herself more, pressing her jeans-covered centre against his hard member. "I know, I know, I know" she said frantically while trying to unbuckle the belt.

He got up still holding her in his arms, putting her down just to get rid of both his and her jeans. Then, he lifted her up and, with her heels on his ass, he trapped her between himself and the wall. Puck slid down his hand until he cupped her centre, growling louder when he felt just how wet she was for him, and moved one of his finger along her folds. She whimpered and dig her nails on his back, panting on his ear and closing her eyes tightly.

"Noah" she begged hotly "Please, please, honey. I need you", drawing a growl out of him. Then, he stilled and cursed under his breath "Fuck! Condoms are in my bag" but she shook her head quickly and bit his neck, whispering against his neck "I'm on the pill".

That was all Puck needed to know. He slid in her and started to move his hips, hissing in pleasure for the delicious friction.

The way she came when he started to work around her clit with his finger was strong and loud; she only hoped that no one was at earshot or she would die of embarrassment. He followed her right back, trying to block his knees or the both of them would just fall on the carpeted floor.

When they calmed down, they kissed lazily, with no rush. The two disentangled from each other and immediately missed the other body linked to the another. Rachel rose on her tip toes, hugged him around his neck and said against his lips "I can't believe we're in a room with a very comfortable and fluffy bed and we just made love against the wall".

He laughed dryly before kissing her and told her "That was fucking hot. And we have all the time for the bed as well". The petite woman left out a really sexy giggle that made him hard again but, right after, she pouted "As much as I love how your mind works right now, I don't think we have time. Don't we have to meet Beth and her parents downtown at 5?" and waited for him to nod before continuing "So, we don't have time. We have to get ready and I don't want to make a bad impression on them since you're so close with them. And being on time is the least we can do since they're so nice to let us spend time with them". She pecked one last time Noah's soft lips and walked towards her trolley, looking for the most suitable outfit for the rest of the day.

He watched her from his spot with a smile on his face. His girl was pure gold and, definitely, a keeper. She's putting so much effort to be liked by people she didn't even know only because she cared about him deeply. He had never been loved by a woman with such intensity and, if a year ago that would had scared him shitless and made him run down the hill, now it made jut his heart swell and beat faster with just one glance from her.

He hugged her from behind and kissed her behind her ear, saying "Love you, babe. You're fucking amazing", which made her smile fondly and said back "I love you too, Noah. And you're not pretty bad yourself".

He laughed before picking up his duffel bag and emptying his content on the bed to look for something as well. He laughed out loud when Rachel screeched when she noticed the mess he made.

* * *

With five minutes spare, the couple were strolling down Boylston Avenue. They had to meet Beth and her parents in front of the Skywalk Observatory, since Puck told them Rachel had never been in Boston before and they wanted to show her around.

Rachel was bouncing with excitement: it was sunset and, from the observatory, she could take some amazing pictures. She was just telling him that, making him roll his eyes and laugh at her, when a high-pitched voice yelled "Uncle Puck!". He turned toward the voice and smiled broadly when a beautiful girl started to run to him, jumping in his open arms as soon as she could.

"God, Bee! You're growing up so fast!" he said, after kissing her on the temple while she kept hugging him tightly "You sure you're only nine and not twelve?". The little girl nodded seriously at him and replied "Of course, silly! I'm super sure! I will be nine for other five months", making him chuckle and mutter "Oh, well… If you say so…".

He started to tickle her in her sides making her squeal and laugh. Rachel couldn't take her eyes off them. There was something magical between the two: they were one of the most adorable things Rachel had ever seen in her whole life.

Puck raised his gaze and smiled at the couple that was now approaching: Frank and Denise were walking hand in hand and smiling at their daughter and her biological father. They couldn't be more different from Beth: where her hair were like honey, her complexion like porcelain and her eyes hazel, their Italian heritage made them both olive-skinned, brunettes and with dark, warm brown eyes.

Denise immediately left her husband's hand and hugged the young man, who held just as tightly and, as soon as the two broke the embrace, the two men smiled at each other and shook their hands, hugging lightly and patting on each other's shoulder.

Puck saw how Denise and Beth were looking at Rachel with a big smile, waiting to be introduced to her. So, he went to her side, hugged her around the shoulders and said "Guys, this is Rachel, my girlfriend. Rach, those are Frank, Denise and Beth". She exchanged hugs with the two grown-ups while Beth was still beaming at her. Rachel looked down at her and said "I was really looking forward to meet you, Beth. Noah told me some marvellous things about you", making Beth's smile grow wider (if it was possible). The little girl took Rachel's hands in hers and jumped a little, saying "I'm really happy to meet you. Last time Uncle Puck came here, he told us that he really, really, really like you so I was really happy when mum told me that he would have brought you with him this time. You're gonna love here. We planned a lot of fun things to do together".

The group got in the building and in the elevator still chatting comfortably. Frank and Denise were very friendly people and Noah was happy to see that Beth took that from them. Every now and then, when they talked, he would found other strong resemblances with the two foster parents and, if on one hand it stung like a bitch knowing that she would be every day a little more like the father he couldn't be for her, on the other it was reassuring that he and Beth's biological mother had taken the right decision back then.

As Rachel predicted, she took some amazing pictures from the observatory, both of the skyline and the landscape and of the people she was there with. The light was perfect (the sky changed from a light tone of blue to a fierce red where the sun was setting, mixed in the middle and becoming orange, pink and yellow) and Frank and Beth had the time of their life pointing her out all the most important things: the Freedom Trail, the public garden, where they would go the following afternoon, and Fenway Park, since both Beth and her father were huge Red Sox fans and went there every single time the Sox would play there.

The two girls hit it off immediately and they already really getting along very well: Beth took Rachel's hand and never let it go, except when the oldest of the two had to take pictures with both hands or when she gave the camera to the little one, telling her to have fun taking all the photos she deemed necessary, making Frank laugh and tell her that she would never see it ever again.

Not so far, Denise and Puck were sitting on a bench and watching at the other three, smiling fondly at them while talking about Beth's school and her achievements.

The little girl trotted to them and sat in Noah's lap and took a picture of the two of them before saying excitedly "I really like her, uncle Puck! She talks a little bit strange, with big words, but she's really funny and nice". Puck smiled at her and slid his arm around her so she was safe in his embrace.

"I really like her too, Bee" he replied honestly, not noticing the glance that Denise shoot at him: Rachel was the first girlfriend he introduced them and the woman knew about his womanizer behaviour since he never lied to her and her husband; that's why they trusted him so much with their little Beth. However, she noticed his eyes every time he was looking at his girlfriend and they were full of love. She was ecstatic that the insecure and hurt boy she met almost 10 years prior turned into a honest and caring man.

The group left the observatory to spend some time in the shops in the PrudentialTower, looking for the perfect souvenirs for her dads and Finn. Beth even insisted to buy twin Red Sox T-Shirts for her and Rachel and the little girl promised the petite woman that they would take her to see one of their game.

They ate dinner at their home: it was a lovely and cosy apartment in one of the safest Boston's neighbourhoods, with a large shared garden when Beth could play with her friends safely. As soon as they entered in the house, Beth dragged Rachel to her bedroom. Her room was very colourful and with Red Sox's and Patriots' banners everywhere. The only things that showed that that was the bedroom of a girl were the stuffed animal seated around a small table and the Barbies on the shelves. The two girls laid on the tiny bed while Rachel depicted her childhood's bedroom back in Ohio. Beth fell absolutely in love with the idea of glowing starts on the ceiling and ran out of the room, yelling at her parents that she wanted glowing stars in her bedroom too.

Rachel chuckled and went to sit up but a fluffy, black-and-white, purring cat landed gracefully on her lap. The petite brunette cooed at the adorableness that was the little ball of fur. She took her gently in her arms and joined the others in the living room.

Puck's eyes immediately went on her and zeroed on the kitten in his girlfriend's arm. He turned to Frank and asked "What's that?!", making the older man laugh and answer "A kitten". Noah smiled and replied jokingly (turning to see if Beth was around) "No shit, man. Really? Totally thought he was an elephant. Thank you for the heads-up!".

Rachel intervened to chastise her boyfriend "Hey! She's a lady!" while scratching lightly the kitten's head and sitting next to Puck. She laughed when the ball of fur started to play with her braid, meowing playfully. Beth entered the room and sat between the young couple, saying "She's Waffle! We found her in the condo's hall a couple of months ago. Someone left in a box her and her five siblings and us and other families here decided to adopt them so they can play together".

Rachel beamed and stated "That was so sweet from you". She grabbed the kitten in her hands and rose her until she was in front of her nose before cooing "Poor Waffle… Luckily you found a nice family that takes good care of you". She pecked the pretty little furry face and passed her to Beth, getting up to see if Denise needed help with dinner.

After dinner, Noah and Beth had fun playing Mario Kart on the WII while Frank and Denise got to know Rachel better, family background, dreams and aspiration, deciding that she was a really good young woman and definitely a very good influence for Puck.

They left the house around 9.30 p.m. because they would need to rest for the intense day the family organized for the young couple the next day. Rachel and Noah hugged them goodnight and got in the cab that was waiting for them outside the condo.

* * *

They were lying on the fluffy hotel bed, content in each other's arms, and ready to fall into a well-deserved sleep when Rachel asked Noah "Does Beth's biological mother visit her too?".

She felt him stiffed next to him, so she started to caress his chest trying to soothe his nervousness and whispered "If you're not comfortable talking about it, it's okay. I didn't want to upset you". He kissed her head but, when he started to talk, Rachel could still sense the tension in his voice. "Don't worry, B. It's okay. Nope, Lynn doesn't visit Beth, like never. The last time she saw her was when Beth was two and Frank and Denise gave us the opportunity to be part of the baby's life. She didn't want to have anything to do with a mistake of her past and asked them to never contact her again. What a bitch" he said, clenching his jaw tight and trying not to get angry.

Rachel's embrace and kisses on his chest definitely helped to calm him down so he continued "I don't want her to feel like a mistake, Rach. You saw her, she's fucking perfect. And I don't want that one day, when she will want to know who her bio mother is, she will feel rejected and not wanted. It sucks".

He sighed deeply and held Rachel tighter against him. Silence filled the room until Rachel decided to speak "I know. But for what it's worth, you're doing great. You two adore each other, everyone can see that. So what if that sad girl decided not to see Beth again? It's her loss. Beth knows that you, Frank and Denise and their families love her immensely – and, from now on, me too – so, even if it will hurt a lot at the beginning, she will have her own safety love net. I can talk from experience so don't be sad about that. She will make it through… She's got Puckerman's genes and, for what I can say, the woman of your family are very strong".

He smiled for what she said and kissed her soundly on the lips before whispering "You sure?", making her chuckle and reply "100%". They kissed for awhile sweetly, trying to keep their smile at bay but failing. Five months passed from the New Year's Eve party and their first kiss but the sensation was still the same every time their lips touched.

The tiredness arrived quiet soon so they spoon perfectly with the other and fell into a calm sleep.

* * *

"Rachel, uncle Puck! Look at the seals! Look! They're dancing!" yelled excitedly Beth, basically jumping on her seat. Beth and her parents decided that they absolutely have to show them the New England Aquarium. Well… Puck already visited it several time since it was one of Beth's favourite things in Boston but Rachel was almost as ecstatic as the young girl. Even if she always preferred animals in their natural habitats, she really liked it there and the aquarium seemed like quite supportive of the wilderness of some species, offering trips to see whales and dolphins in their natural environment.

The little group had so much fun at the touch tanks where they were able to touch rays ("Yuck, Noah, they seem so slimy! No! Noah, don't you dare splash water at me! Noah!") and cradled sea stars in their hands.

Rachel and Beth pushed their noses against the cylindrical giant ocean tank, staring in awe at the variety of animals in it, pointing every time they saw a colourful fish and backing off a little when the nurse shark passed by. Puck never left his girlfriend's side and laughed at her silliness: she was such a goof sometimes!

Noah laughed out loud after a completely absurd small dialogue between Rachel and Beth about which kind of fish was the best, making Rachel look at him with a bright smile and kiss his cheek before hugging him tightly and laughing too. She took Beth's hand and looped her arm with Denise's and the threesome walked towards the Pacific Reef Community tank (he heard them talk about Nemo or some shit like that). As he shook his head amused, Frank patted his shoulder and laughed at the girls' behaviour, gently pushing him to follow them.

Finally, around 1 p.m., they left the aquarium (Beth hugging a big stuffed penguin, that Rachel brought her in the aquarium's shop, in her arms, since she had great time feeding them with the help of the trainers) and walked on the Bostonian sidewalks, towards the Boston public garden.

The sunny day let them have a nice picnic and Denise brought a ridiculous amount of food; it would seriously feed an army. They ate the food happily and the girls teased the men that were basically eating for five.

Beth, right after lunch, got up and tugged her dad's and Puck's sleeves and said excitedly "Let's go play soccer! Come on! Get up you big hippos!" before running away quickly, chased by the two men who were said menacingly "How did you call us?!". Puck grabbed her quite easily and lifted her off the ground, tucking her on his side, her legs kicking the air. The girl tried to yell for help but Frank laughed and tickled her instead, making her wiggle even more. When they released her, Beth was crying for too much laughing and tried to stabilize her breath before yelling to Rachel, still seated comfortably on the blanket "Rachel, come to play too!" but the petite brunette shook her head with a smile on her face.

Puck smirked at her and, loud enough for Rachel to hear, said "Oh, bee. Let her be! She's just a fumbler at soccer anyway! You don't want to play in the same team as her; that's if you don't want to lose". This definitely did the trick: in fact, Rachel got up and stomped her way to them, making Puck and Frank laugh uncontrollably (she was just too easy to get!). She crossed her arms and glared at her boyfriend, stating "You're going to regret your words, Puckerman. Me and Beth are going to show you, cocky boys, just how good we are. Losers pay ice-cream to the winning team, which, of course, would be mine and Beth's. Have we a deal?". The little girl beamed at her and nodded vigorously before extending her hand with her pinkie raised to them and asking "Pinkie Promise?".

The girls were pretty good and the two girls were winning, even if the men tried to cheat several times, taking advantage of the girls light weights and heights. Denise was cheering for Rachel and Beth from her position on the blanket and was in charge to keep score.

Puck threw the ball quite far away from them because he wanted to score (failing miserably) but then he rose his hands and stated "I'm not going there!", followed by equal statement from Beth and Frank. Rachel huffed and turned on her heels, walking in direction of the missing ball and muttering under her breath "God, you're so lazy!".

They were laughing at something Beth's dad said when Beth asked "Who is the guy who is talking to Rachel?", making Noah frown and snap his head towards the direction where Rachel was supposed to be. Standing there, the petite woman was talking with a prick (he definitely seemed like one) who had the soccer ball in his hands while Rachel was shifting her gaze from him and the ball, smiling politely and nodding at what he was saying.

He sprinted towards her and heard him say "Well, if you want I can give you my number so…" but Noah intervened "No need, prick" and hauled Rachel on his shoulder. She left out a strangled cry and slapped his back before saying "Noah! Put me down!". However, Puck grabbed the ball from the brunette idiot who was watching him flabbergasted and growled "Next time, try not to pick up a woman with a quite possessive boyfriend. I'm telling this for you: next time it could be a bigger guy than me – even if it's quite impossible – and you can gain a nice black eye".

The mohawked man started to walk away, hearing Rachel say from her position on his shoulder "I'm so sorry Hunter! It was nice to meet you!". She, then, turned slightly to see the back of her boyfriend's head and told him "That was very rude of you, Noah. That poor guy didn't do anything wrong and you scared him to death!". He put her down and stared at her in disbelief, hissing "He didn't do anything wrong? Rach, he was fucking flirting with you! That's what the fucker did wrong!".

Rachel sighed deeply and closed tightly her eyes. She put a hand on his arm and tried to soothe his anger speaking gently "And I didn't flirt back, did I? Noah, how is it different from what happen when you're at work? Why can't you trust me as much as I trust you? I would never cheat on you. I love you, you know that, right?".

He nodded but his eyes were staring at the ground and his jaw was tightening furiously. She stepped a little closer and slid her hand in his, lifting his chin until they eyes were looking into the others. She shoot a small smile to him and said "Hey, stop all of that. You don't have anything to worry about okay? Come on, honey. It's our last day with the guys; I don't want it to be ruined because a guy decided that he wanted to talk to me. Would you let it go? For me?". Puck scoffed, not sure if he was completely over what happen and what she said right after, but nodded and let her kiss him sweetly on his lips.

With a big smile, she tugged him towards the little family that was waiting for them and told him excitedly "Let's finish the game. I think that Beth and I will really appreciate the ice creams you're going to buy us!".

* * *

They just checked-out the hotel and their bags were already in the tail of his truck. Beth and her parents were still with them since they wanted to greet the young couple before they had to take off for New York City.

Rachel was really happy to have met such wonderful people and the Bostonian threesome totally fell in love with the petite brunette and her personality: she was really funny and sweet but, most of all, they were really glad to see the she made Puck so happy. It was refreshing to see the young man act so lovingly with someone other than Beth.

Rachel hugged the grown-ups tight, exchanging contacts and promising to keep in touch with them, and then she crouched down and hugged Beth even more tightly, whispering to her, with a trembling voice, that she was really looking forward to see her again. The girl nodded, sniffling from her position in the crook of her neck before pecking Rachel's cheek and breaking the embrace, just to be engulfed by Puck's strong arms.

The man lifted her up and hugged her, feeling that she was squeezing him with all the strength she had. "Come back soon, uncle Puck. I'm always happy when you come here with us. Maybe, next time, you and Rachel could stay a little bit longer?" Beth's big hazel eyes were shiny and her usual bright smile was replaced by a little pout.

He smiled gently at her and passed a hand on her soft curls, saying "We will be back in no time, bee. You will be annoyed by how soon we will come back" but the girl shook her head quick and stated really seriously "I won't, I promised!", which made the grown-ups chuckle.

He gave her a last kiss on the forehead and waved at Frank and Denise, walking to the truck door and getting in. Rachel was already seated and was fastening the seat belt. The two waved one final time at the family, which was now huddled together and was waving back at them with a very sad-looking Beth perched on Denise's hip.

The sight of the child was enough to break Puck's heart – like every single time he had to go back home and leave her. His heart was heavy and thoughts with images of what life could had been if he had kept Beth back then arrived without any mercy for his already shattered soul. He and Lynn did the right thing – he knew that – but, sometimes, he really wished they had kept her.

He didn't know how much time he spend in that pensive state when he felt Rachel's hand intertwine with his and squeeze it lightly. He turned to her just to see her looking at him with a sad little smile, which he mirrored. "Noah, you did the best thing for her. Don't let negative thought change your opinion. I can only imagine what you're thinking; but, please, let me tell you that it really was for the best. A 16-year-old boy couldn't had provide her the life she deserves" she stated in the sweetest voice she could manage, making him sigh deeply and nod before answered "Yeah, I know. It's just fucking hard letting her go, you know?".

Rachel's hand freed itself from Noah's grip and went up to his face, caressing his cheek and scratching lightly the back of his neck. He immediately responded at her touch by relaxing visibly so she didn't stop her motion while thinking at the right ay to answer to him. She was always been the one that was left behind, not the one who had to walk away. First she was left behind from her mother, who never looked back, and the from her ex-fiancée, when he put her on the train and called off their wedding (in that occasion she was the one who walked away, physically speaking, but it felt the other way round since she wanted to marry him and he pushed her away). So, really, she didn't know how to help her man.

"I love you for the person you were and for the one you've become" was the only thing that her mind came up with and added, with a shaky voice "You were so selfless that you decided to let one of the most precious things life can give you go for her own good and you didn't forget about her. You didn't let her go, you provided a great life to her and this is the reason why I know that, when the time is right, you will be a great father. You are a strong amazing man and I will always be at your side.".

Noah's hand rose and grabbed her hand behind his neck. He moved it until it was in front of his lips and pecked the back of it a couple of times, whispering against it "I love you too, babe".

The rest of the ride was silent, so different from the outward route; low music from the radio was the only sound in the truck while their hands remained linked, showing that they were ready to face and defeat any kind of demons together.

* * *

**So...Did you liked it? Please, tell me your opinion in a review! I'm so curious to see what you think of this story so far!**

**See you soon, dearies! XOXO**


	17. Propelled Into The Future

**Hello my dearies!**

**Thank you so much for your support and feedbacks! I'm so happy to read your reviews; they means so much to me! I want to thank specifically those who pointed out some grammatical mistakes I've made in the previous chapters because they helped me improve my English and, from now on, I'll make sure to use the right form!:) I'm sure that there are PLENTY of other mistakes (even if I re-read the chapters at least a dozen of times before posting them) so thank you for being patient and not giving up on my story because of that.**

**I'm super elated because yesterday I went to the movies and saw "Les Miserables"! Good Lord, What. A. Movie! Breathtaking! If you haven't seen it yet, please, make sure you'll go because it will blow you away! Seriously! (I fell in love with Eddie Redmayne's voice! So perfect!)**

**I'll leave you beautiful people to the new chapter! Hope you'll like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, Magic Mike or any other thing mentioned in the chapter. *Sob***

* * *

The weeks between their little gateway and the graduation definitely weren't the greatest in Rachel and Puck's relationship: between her job, his job, the rehearsals and the last finals, they barely saw each other and, when they finally saw one another, they would end up arguing about trivial matters, taking out their exhaustion and nervousness on the other.

But, one evening, all blew up in their face.

Rachel arrived at Puck's place with a big smile on her face. The excitement made her eyes all shiny and she let a happy squeak when she found her boyfriend in the living room, on the couch while strumming the guitar away on lazily.

She sat down next to Noah and extended him a colourful flier, which the man took cautiously after setting the guitar on the coffee table. The flier advertised an open mic night in a club downtown but Puck couldn't really figure why Rachel seemed so ecstatic about that. So he turned to her and asked with a raised eyebrow "Why did you give me this, babe?".

She beamed at him and exclaimed "Because I signed you up for tomorrow night!" but frowned when she saw him shake his head and say "Not a way in hell I'm doing this". She was speechless: she thought he would had loved the idea to try to make his childhood dream come true. She knew that it was only an open mic night but the club often called some talent scouts in and some guys who played there had became successful musician and singers.

"But…" she tried to rebut but he looked at her right in the eyes and stated "I'm not going. End of discussion, Rachel" before getting up. However, Rachel didn't think the topic was over so she stood up as well and grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to turn and look at her, while asking "Why are you doing this? Why are you so afraid to follow your dreams?".

A dry laugh left his lips before he answered harshly "Dreams don't come real for people like me", which made her reply hotly "Dreams don't come real for people who aren't brave enough to fight for them and that settle for something easier!". He took a step forward and narrowed his eyes at her, growling "Are you calling me a coward?".

Rachel crossed her arms and kept her eyes glued at his while saying "If the hat fits! You are better than a stripper and I'm tired to be the only one here to think that! I'm tired, Noah! Because even if you're extremely confident in yourself, sometimes you're your worst enemy. You are the one who think that you're good for nothing and who whine because you're going to stay in that club for the rest of your life. But you do nothing to change that! And every time I try to push you to follow your dreams, you laugh at me as if I'm the crazy one!". She was basically yelling right now but she was so angry at him that she couldn't stop herself.

He raised his hands and yelled back "That's because you are! You just want me to leave my job so Miss Goodie Two-Shoes Rachel Berry can say that she's not dating a goddamn stripper!". At that, Rachel saw red and pushed him on the chest several times with all the force she had in herself and hissed "Don't you dare say that! You know it's not true! You know that! Don't blame me if you're too scared to follow your dreams. I've done nothing but support you and I don't deserve to be spoken to like that".

She turned and grabbed all her things while he asked angrily "Where the hell you're going now?". Without looking at him, she said with a quivery voice "I'm going home before one of us can say something we might regret. It's better for us not to speak to each other for a day or so since it seems like the only thing we do recently is arguing", making his eyes grew bigger. "Rachel, don't…" he started but she was already at the door. Before exiting the apartment, she said "Tomorrow, I'll go to that club. If you change your mind, address and time are on the flier. Bye".

And, with that, she was out.

He breathed deeply but that didn't made him calm down and, without thinking, he threw violently against the wall the first thing that his hand reached. The bottle of beer shattered when made contact with the hard surface but even the sound of glass didn't push a little bit of his anger away.

Sam appeared from the hallway and leaned on the doorframe, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Dude…" the blonde tried to speak but the mohawked man shoot him a glare and growled "Not a word, Evans. I'm not in the mood for your shit" but Sam decided to keep going "You know she's right, right? You're taking all your insecurities about you two being together and the fact the you're so different from one another out on her and this shit is not fair for her. Do you remember when I told you to become the man she deserves to be with? To be that man, you have to start working on yourself and on what you want! Everything will fall into place after that. She loves you so fucking much that she's putting up with your job every single time even if it pains her to see you go! Do you see how her face fall every time we have to go?".

Noah clenched his jaw tightly and looked away from the blonde, knowing how right he was. He saw how Rachel's face fell a little every time he had to go to work; even if she tried to hide it and put a smile on her face, her eyes were the mirror of her soul and they showed how sad she was.

But he wasn't ready to hear that he was wrong so he just shove his roommate and marched to his bedroom, slamming the door violently.

* * *

Rachel was staring sadly at her drink while stirring it with the pink straw. All her friends were there, except for Sam and Noah. She really hoped that he had changed his mind on the open mic night and that he would show up but the day before he seemed so serious about not going.

It hurt a lot that he didn't understand that she really did that because she loved him, because she wanted to help him be happy and achieve his dream. He didn't even had to leave his job; he could perform when he had free nights so the accusation he threw at her wasn't true at all.

She was so mesmerized by the vortex that she created in the glass that she didn't even noticed that Sam arrived and took a seat next to her. It was only when he poked her with one of his shoulders that she raised her face and saw him giving her a tight smile. She looked around the table but she didn't see the person that she wanted to see. Noah didn't come.

She wanted to cry but she shoot him a sad smile at him before refocusing her attention on her drink. She was so disappointed by him. Why can't he notice how amazing he really was? But she couldn't force him to come; it really was Noah's choice and, more than telling him that she believed in him and in his talent, she couldn't do much more.

She was taken away from her trance from Sam (again) who told her "You really want to see this". She frowned but looked in the direction that was pointing the blonde man and sat up straighter when she saw what was on the stage… more precisely, who was on the stage.

Puck was sitting on the stool, guitar perched on his tight and was setting the microphone so that it was right in front of his mouth. He tugged lightly the strings of the guitar and looked directly into Rachel's big doe eyes, which were getting misty.

He cleared his throat and said in the mic, not stopping the light melody that came from his instrument "Hi, everybody. This is my first time here and I hope you'll like it so that you won't throw things at me. Before I start with my performance, I just want to say to my amazing girlfriend that I was a prick and that I'm sorry for the things I said yesterday. Hope that these songs explain it all".

She almost sobbed when she recognized the first chords of "Waiting for a girl like you". After that he sang "You and me" by Lifehouse and ended his gig with their song, "Sweet Caroline".

The crowd loved his performance, giving him a standing ovation, and Rachel was clapping more enthusiastically than anyone in the club while she was obvious of the tears that was streaking her cheeks.

Noah waved at the audience and passed the guitar to the next performer before stepping out of stage. He didn't even take two steps that Rachel was already hugging him tight, sniffing against his chest. He rested his lips on her forehead and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and loving the feeling of his girlfriend's body against his.

"You were marvellous, Noah. I'm so proud of you" she said with a broken voice. Then she raised her head to look into his eyes and added "I really thought that you wouldn't come here and…" but Noah's lips on hers stopped her. They kissed briefly and then he took her head in his hands, telling her "I meant every single word I said on the stage. I was a prick yesterday and you didn't deserve the shit I threw at you. Forgive me?". Rachel fisted his shirt and nodded but asked with a small voice "Why do you think that I signed you up for this because I'm ashamed of you and of what your job is?".

Puck took her hand and dragged her to the quietest corner of the club to talk. He boxed her between his body and the wall, saying seriously "Babe, you didn't do anything to make me think that you were ashamed of me and of what I do but… I am, so I thought that you were as well. And I still don't know why the hell you're with me when you can have all those others theatre pricks that have aspirations as big as yours and that don't have to strip every night".

It was so difficult for him to tell her that; even if he was really trying to communicate her his feelings (something that Rachel begged him to do, since she wanted their relationship to be completely sincere), it was still hard for him to talk about how he felt and not go back to the guy he was before he met her.

She caressed his face sweetly and replied "First of all: don't presume what my feeling are. If you have doubts about them, you can talk to me and clear the air. Because I could never be ashamed of you. Never. And neither should you because you're doing anything illegal or whatsoever. Second: I don't want those guys because none of those guys – or, at least, the ones that I know – have your kind heart, your confidence or make me laugh the way you do. And, sincerely, a diva in the couple is more than enough". This last sentence made him chuckle and Rachel smiled broadly and got closer to him, hugging him tight.

As he slide his hand down her spine, he told her "Yeah, you're right. You would just burst into flames because of your egos. At least, I keep it yours at bay" but she rebutted "Shut up. Your ego is colossal too; you're just lucky that I'm fine with it". His head got closer to hers and when theirs lips were almost touching, he said lasciviously "I know another thing of mine that is colossal and you're fine with it, too". She managed to say "Pig" before he pushed his tongue in her mouth to meet hers.

They kissed passionately, their bodies brushing up against the other. When she moaned loudly, Rachel pushed him away a little and, trying to catch her breath, said "Not here, Noah. I'm not going to made a spectacle of ourselves in a public club". He smirked at her and dived his hand in the sea of chocolate curls, bringing her close again and giving her a last kiss before putting an arm around her shoulders and walking towards the table where all their friends were waiting for them.

Suddenly a hand on Puck's shoulder stopped their walk. He turned to see who the hell was and he was met by the sight of a man around his fifties, with dark hair that were turning grey. He was wearing a T-Shirt with the club's logo so Puck thought that the other man must have been an employee there.

The older man shoot a smirk at Noah and said "You're really good with the guitar, kid. What's your name again?". The two introduced each other and the greyish-haired man explained that he was Joel Harris, owner of the club. Mr. Harris said to him "I'm quite straight-forward so here's the deal: it was a while since the last time I saw someone as talented as you. Are you interest in performing here once a week? I know some talent scouts and producers that really can help you with your career… So, you're in?".

Puck was completely shocked by his proposal: so he really was that good! It wasn't just Rachel saying that because she was biased. This man thought it as well and could help him make his childhood dream come true so he said enthusiastically "Hell yeah, I'm in!".

The owner laughed at his reaction and at the way his girlfriend was almost shaking excitement; she was looking at the young man with the brightest and largest smile he had ever seen and he was afraid that she might have a paresis.

"Perfect" Mr Harris said and than asked "So, what do you say about performing on Friday?", which made Puck cringe and say sadly "I can't on Fridays. I have to work on from Thursday to Sunday" but the man shook his hand and replied "Don't worry, I totally understand. So, what about Wednesday? Would it be good for you?". Puck nodded and took the card the owner extended to him with all his contacts. He wrote down his phone number as well and the two men shook hands while Mr. Harris said that he would call the day after for the final detail.

As soon as the man disappeared from their sight, Rachel started to squeal in front of him. "Oh my God, Noah! This is huge! Such an important step in your career! I knew that they would have loved you, you're amazing! And Mr. Harris said he can help to get in touch with some producers! Oh, Noah, I'm so happy and proud of you! You're going to shine and take your well-deserved place in the world of music. There's so many things to do! First of all, personal cards. You can't go around without a stash of them. I'll print them out tomorrow first thing and then…" but Noah shut her up kissing her hungrily. When they broke the kiss, she asked with a bright smile "What was that for?" but he just said with an equally bright smile "Thank you".

She grabbed his face and stated "You did it all by yourself, honey. All. By. Yourself. And I can't be prouder of you". She pecked his lips and dragged him to the table where their friends first congratulated for the performance (and teased him about it… Well, only Santana teased him because of the songs' choice and joked again about his set of balls hidden in Rachel's nightstand) and than celebrated for the most recent news.

Kurt, Rachel and Mercedes immediately started to talk about new clothes for him and some shit like this but he immediately put a stop on it and kissed away the pout that appeared on Rachel's face after he spoke.

She sighed and got more comfortable on his lap, sliding her arm around his should and leaning her forehead against his. "I can't wait a couple more days for graduation so, after that, I can focus my attention just on you and on the show. I'm sorry I was so tense recently but…" she said before being shushed (again!) by him, who pinched her lips together with his fingers. She slapped his hand away and then told him "It's the third time you shut me up in a mere hour! Stop it! I was saying something serious!" but he smirked at her and said "As if you have anything to complain with the way I interrupt you", grinning widely when he saw her blush and smile coyly. Then he added "I know you're nervous. I get it; you've go so many things in hands that it's normal for you to freak the fuck out. And I wasn't smooth as well, so let's call it even. Alright?".

She sighed and replied "Only if you're sure". Noah nodded before kissing her, gaining the complaints of Finn who was begging them to keep it PG and the catcalls from the others. The rest of the night was spend celebrating and having good time, dreaming about how life could turn in the future.

* * *

Puck was pacing in the great hall of the NYADA building and was tugging at his tie, cursing under his breath at his tuxedo and his shirt. He felt like a penguin! Sure, he was damn hot with his suit but he really missed his comfy shirt and jeans right now.

Tonight was the night of Rachel and Kurt's graduation. It was a really big event and only the best students were invited to perform in it so it was a huge deal for Rachel and Kurt to be up to their reputation and sing perfectly. Tuxedos, cocktail dresses and evening dress were a must and it seemed more like a show than a graduation ceremony. From what Rachel told him, the dean of NYADA invited some important theatre and musical producers and choreographers in order to help the graduates and, at the same time, make them sign some big ass checks for the academy.

The group of friends along with Burt and his wife (Rachel and Finn's parents were running a little bit late but Finn didn't seem shocked at all) arrived there almost an hour in advance to take some decent seat. The more time passed, the more people entered the auditorium and the more Puck grew anxious for her girlfriend, even if she would kick asses for sure. So, he excused himself and this is why he found himself in the great hall.

He was looking at the few people that were there as well, killing time until the show start, when the doors burst open and two men went in.

They were both quite tall and seemed really in hurry. They looked around alarmed and the one with a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose and perfectly styled grey hair said to the other "Oh my God, Leroy, we're so late! Where did Finn tell you that they are seated? Oh, for the love of God, why must this place be so big? What if they already started and we missed our bunny's performance? I think I would die!".

Puck didn't need any further information to know who those men were: Rachel totally took her drama flair from that man! The mohawked man walked towards them and, when he was closed enough, he said "Mr. and Mr. Berry, right?"

The men's attention was all on him as they looked at him with bright eyes. The other man, with curly brunette short hair that were turning gray on the side and mocha complexion, shoot him a gentle smile and replied "Yes, we are Hiram and Leroy Berry", indicating first his husband and then himself, "And you are…?". Puck took out of the pocket his right hand and extended it to them (hoping that it wasn't too much sweaty… This was the first time in a very fucking long time that he would meet his girlfriend's parents. And dads usually hated him; of course, he had to fell in love with the one girl who has two of them. Of-fucking-course.) before saying "I'm Noah Puckerman, Rachel's boyfriend. It's a pleasure meeting you".

Immediately, Leroy took his hand firmly shook it, stating "It's a pleasure meeting you too, Noah. Rachel said some wonderful things about you. Thank you for making our bunny so happy". Puck shoot him a smirk and he really hoped that he didn't notice the blush that crept on his neck after the statement. Oh, for fuck's sake, badasses don't blush! What the hell was doing this family to him?!

He extended his hand to Hiram too and the fancy man took him still looking at him with dreamy eyes. He say with the most serious voice "Well, our Rachel told us that you were absolutely handsome but we thought she was just exaggerating. Never thought you were actually that good-looking. You even manage to pull off that strange and ridiculous haircut of yours!".

Noah passed a hand on his hair and chuckled at what Hiram just said. Leroy laughed out loud, patted his shoulder and told him "Your hair are rather nice, Noah. Don't listen to him. Now, what about we go inside? We don't really want to miss anything, do we?", following Rachel's boyfriend in the big auditorium when he started to walk away.

"Dad! Daddy!" Finn greeted them enthusiastically, getting up and hugging them tight. The two men fawned over their 'Finnie boy' and whined about how much they missed him while trying to style his light brown hair according to their liking, making him blush and mutter "Stop it, please!", which made Puck and Santana laugh out loud and draw a smile on everyone else's faces. Hiram looked at the Latina and smiled widely, putting his hands on his heart and saying "Tana, darling, you're just as stunning as I remember… Come here and give me a hug". The brunette beauty got up and jumped in his embrace, whispering something in his ear and laughing when he hugged her even tighter. After Hiram, she went to Leroy, who welcomed her in his arms as well and kissed her on the forehead, caressing her long black hair with tenderness.

After a brief round of introductions where Finn introduced the other guys and Marley (who, now, was his girlfriend), the two men greeted Brittany and Quinn and hugged Burt and his wife, exchanging some pleasantries.

Suddenly some of the lights went out, signalling that the show was about to begin so everyone took their seats and got comfortable in them while Artie got ready to film the whole showcase and graduation ceremony with his camera. Puck ended up between Hiram and Santana and started to tap nervously on his knee until Santana grabbed his hand and hissed "Puckerman, if you don't cut the tapping, I'm going to cut the damn hand. Just relax, for fuck's sake!". Hiram quietly chastised her with a firm "Santana, watch that pretty mouth of yours or I'm going to wash it with soap", making her mumble "Sorry, H" and sit a little further in her seat while Puck chuckled at the scene. It was hilarious to watch Satan become a obedient little lamb with Rachel and Finn's parents.

When all the light went out completely and the curtains opened on the stage, a small black woman with a strange turban on her head and large clothes stepped on the stage, taking the centre of it. "Holy hell, she's the feminine version of Professor Quirell. Now she will take the turban off and Voldemort will appeared!", which made Puck snort loudly, forcing him to hide his head in his hands and try to muffle his laughter while Hiram hissed sternly "Santana Diabla Lopez! Stop it!". The young man was thrown into another fit of laughter when he heard Santana's middle name and, as soon as he calmed down a bit, he looked at her and asked in hushed tone "Diabla? Are you f…friggin' kidding me, Lopez?", gaining a punch on his arm and her sharp response "Shut up!".

"Welcome to the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts Graduation, I'm Carmen Tibideux, dean of the academy and I wanted to thank you all for being here tonight" Mrs Tibideux started with a solemn voice and continued "While this is a graduation ceremony, this is also a celebration. Each year, the faculty chooses ten students who exemplified the best of what we try to achieve here. Our first performers are Alexandra Pletzuchi and Peter Merriweather. They will be doing a Black Swan pas de deux from Tchaikovsky's SwanLake".

The performance lasted about 10 minutes, probably the 10 longest minutes in Puck's life. He definitely wasn't a ballet-kinda-guy and he was worried for the ballerina, like for real: he was sure no one should bend that much or be so flexible. How on earth her legs were still attached to her body was beyond him.

However, he still clapped when it ended but really hoped that the next one wouldn't be another ballet performance or he would fall asleep for sure. He really thanked god when Mrs. Quirell (he already forgot her real name) introduced Kurt. Their row clapped with enthusiasm and hollered at him, making the flamboyant man blush and smile coyly. He sang a slow version of "I want to hold your hand" and the audience, at the end of it, gave him a standing ovation. Their group of friend whistled in appreciation while Burt was jumping ecstatic and was yelling "That's my boy!", pointing at the stage and looking around to make it clear to everyone who surrounded him. Next to him, a very emotional Blaine was clapping with a big smile and, at the same time, trying to wipe away quickly the tears that were falling from his eyes.

After a couple of uneventful performances, the dean of NYADA re-took the stage and thanked the previous performer before saying "The next graduate will sing "Being good isn't good enough", sung by Barbra Straisand. She shone in her own light throughout all her academic life here and we're very proud to announce the she was casted for the role of Éponine in an up-coming off-Broadway adaptation of the musical "Les Miserables". Enjoy the superb voice of Rachel Berry".

Hiram started to dab gently his eyes with his handkerchief as soon as he realised that Rachel was about to perform but, when the two men saw her taking the centre stage, they started to sniff and clap with all they have. They others yelled and whistled at her, trying to let her know that they were there to support her as well.

To Puck, she was a vision. Rachel never made him see the dress she wanted to put on for her graduation and now he knew why: he would probably had ripped it off of her and fucked her senseless on the spot The dress was long, white and strapless and it had some sort of little diamonds all over the bodice and some of them on the skirt too, reflecting the light so that she shone like the star he knew she was. Her chocolate hair were cascading in soft curls on her shoulders and, on the neck, she had a simple necklace (the one that Noah gave her for Christmukkah).

After a gracious nod to the orchestra leader, she started to sing and not a fly could be heard in the whole auditorium. Every single person in there was enraptured by the majesty and immensity of her voice as she sang flawlessly. As soon as the song came to an end, the crowd exploded in an applause and stood up in reverence.

Their row was basically hollering and cheering in approval (Puck, Santana and Finn the loudest of them all) while her dads were clapping and yelling "Bravo! Bravo!". She curtseyed all cute before exiting from the stage.

Hiram fell heavily on his seat, crying his eyes out and clinging on his husband saying "Oh my God, Leroy. Our bunny. It seems like yesterday that she was babbling in rhythm with the 'Funny Girl' soundtrack in her ladybug onesie and now she's a woman. She's a star". Leroy held him just as tight and cooed sweetly "I know, love. I know" while passing a hand up and down his spine, hoping to comfort him.

Finn and Santana squeezed Hiram's shoulder and the foursome exchanged emotional smile with Puck being awkwardly blocked in the middle of it. Hiram looked at their children and stated "We're so proud of you three, babies. Nothing makes us happier than see you spread your wings and conquer the world. We love you so much".

The light turned on again and Puck was more than happy to free himself from the Berry sappy fest to stretch his legs, joining Mike who was standing in the hallway, talking to a still seated Tina. The two joked and laughed at some of the performances that they just saw that were too over-the-top for their liking.

The pause didn't last for long so, in no time, Puck had to go back to his seat. The Berries seemed to had calmed down in the meantime and they were laughing at something that Finn just said but their gazes immediately were on her daughter's boyfriend as he sat down. Leroy asked him with a smile "So, Noah, did you like our bunny? Wasn't she great?". Noah smiled fondly and answered "She was perfect… She's perfect", which made the two parents share a knowing glance and a soft smile. Hiram agreed and, patting lightly the mohawked man's shoulder, said "Yes, Noah. You're right. She's perfect".

The second part of the showcase ended fairly early and the dean of the academy, along with all the faculty members, walked on stage, announcing the beginning of the graduation ceremony. The students were called in alphabetical order and everyone had a bright red gown on and an equally red mortarboard on their heads.

Rachel smiled brightly when Mrs. Tibideux gave her the well-deserved diploma and shook her hand, saying with a sincere smile "I expect great things from you, Miss Berry. Congratulations". "Thank you" replied the petite woman with a bright mile before turning on her heels, facing the crowd, and moving the gold tassel from one side of the mortarboard to the other.

She waved at her family and friends, watching as they were cheering for her: everyone was clapping furiously and her parents, hugged together, were blowing her kisses. Santana and Finn were whistling and hollering while Puck was yelling "You rock, babe!", which made her laugh. The same enthusiasm was shown when was Kurt's turn to receive his diploma as well. The blue-eyed man turned and bowed at the crowd, waving his hand as if he was a member of the English royal family.

As soon as he joined the group of graduates that already received their certificate, he ran to Rachel and hugged her tight, saying excitedly "We made it, Rachel Barbra Berry. We made it!". Rachel returned happily the hug and, with eyes full of happy tears, replied "I know, Kurt Elizabeth Hummel. The only thing left to do is taking Broadway by storm one show at the time!", making him laugh.

Rachel turned to see her loved ones and she immediately met her boyfriend's eyes. He was looking at her with a proud grin and mouthed "I'm proud of you"; she smiled at him and blew him kiss before mouthing back "Love you", laughing when she saw Santana making fun of him because of that and him frowning at the Latina in return.

After the NYADA graduates' tossed the mortarboard in the air, just to catch it back (Rachel wanted to keep it safe and sound… of course, the thought of what a beautiful piece it would make in a future exhibition about her and her career crossed her mind), the ceremony was over and the young men and women were free to join their families and friends.

Rachel took Kurt's hand and ran to their support group, leaving it when she was close enough to jump into her dads' embrace.

"Dad! Daddy! I'm so happy to see you! I missed you so much; it seems like forever since the last time I saw you!" said without missing a beat, barely breathing while saying that, which made the two men chuckle and hold her tighter. When they broke the hug, Hiram took her head in his hands and squeezed her cheeks gently, whispering with an emotional tone "Bunny, we're so proud of you. You were absolutely stunning tonight. Barbra would be absolutely proud of you too".

Leroy hugged her a little more once his husband released his hold on her and kissed her temple, telling her "You are a star, baby girl. I'm so happy to see your dreams coming true. Your destiny is written in the starts and it has written 'Broadway' all over it", drawing a warm smile on her face. She hugged him tight and breathed his scent: it had always been the same and it made her remember of protection, happiness and morning breakfasts. She definitely loved her dads immensely.

She had barely detached herself from her dad that Finn and Santana already were on her, squeezing her in a three-way hug while congratulating with her. Other hugs were shared with her others friends until she felt a familiar set of arms slide on her collarbone and hug her gently.

"May I congratulate to you too?" Noah's deep voice whispered in her ear, making her turning, still wrapped contently in his embrace. She smiled at him and her arms went around his torso. "Only if you mean it" she teased him jokingly, making him chuckle while he stroked the back of her neck lazily. He got closer until their lips were almost touching and whispered "I'm so fucking proud of you, B. You don't even know just how much I wanted to yell to all the auditorium that my girl was the fucking shit", before pecking her lips sweetly (What? Her dads were right fucking there… he had to keep it PG).

"Oh, you're just too cute for your own sake!" Hiram gushed over them, hitting Leroy right on the chest affectionately and asking him "Don't you think they're just the cutest, Leroy? Really… Our babies are adorable in their relationships!". That made the group laugh out loud while Puck tried to hid the grunt that came out of him: this family was turning his badass self into a pink marsh-fucking-mallow, he could definitely feeling it.

The group left the auditorium after Kurt and Rachel received some well-earned praise from some producers and theatrical luminaries (even Rachel's director, Mr. Cole, and Mr. Herwig, the producer of the show, came to support her – she found the gesture really sweet and invited the two at the celebration party at her best friend's house, but they politely decline, saying that she should have fun with her loved ones and that they would see her in a couple of days).

Once at Santana and Brittany's place, the group shared a light meal together, talking, laughing and taking lots of pictures. Rachel demanded that a photo of her and Noah should be absolutely taken, since Rebecca asked for it. When she received Becca's answer to the photo she sent her, Rachel laughed out loud and Noah leaned on her shoulder so he could read what his crazy sister wrote to his girlfriend.

**From: Rebecca "Rach, u'r stunning and my bro seems a penguin, bu nice couple. I just have 2 hide this picture from my ma – c u in white could give her a heart attack and she would go 2 book the temple 4 a summer wedding. Congrats B!"**

Noah whined loudly and rested his head on her shoulder, making her giggle and pat his cheek fondly while cooing "Oh, come on, Noah. She said she wouldn't show the picture to your mother. We're safe". But he whined a little more "Babe, you know her. She will find it anyway and she will start to beg for grandchildren and to talk about bonbonnière and flower girls". She took his chin and raised it until she managed to kiss him lightly on the lips and said him brightly "Don't worry. I'll protect you!", which made everyone in the room laugh out loud, even Puck.

* * *

**Tah-dah! What do you guys think? Please, let me know by writing a review!:D I'm really curious to know what you guys think about this chapter!**

**See you soon, dearies!**


	18. Falling From Cloud Nine

**Hello beautiful people!**

**Thank you so much for your support! It really blows me away and I can't express in words just how much I appreciate it! I want to thank you all those kind souls who decided to leave a review: it really helps me a lot with my writing (and, in this period, my muse is being a bitch and I have no inspiration at all so knowing that you like my story is amazing and inspiring!).**

**This period is pretty hectic and life is not always smooth as I wish but I'll my hardest to keep the updating as frequent as possible. **

**I'll leave you to the new chapter! Hope you'll like it!**

* * *

Rachel was so happy to have her dads there with her. She really missed the familiar feeling, the glances that spoke more than words and the funny shenanigans and bickering between the four of them. She loved to be able to spend some time with her family without any other external interference since she wouldn't return to rehearsal until the following week and Finn took those days off from work.

But, most of all, she was thrilled that they could get to know Puck better. They couldn't go out for dinner with him because he still had to work but, no matter where they were or where would have lunch (every time dad and daddy would come to NYC, they would walk around a lot and do touristy stuff – no matter how many times they already done it, it was still fun), he would arrive and spend time with them. She loved him a little more for that.

And her parents totally fell in love with him! They defined him as charming, funny and smart ("Not to forget hot, bunny! He's built like a Greek god and has a really sexy bone structure! I think you could actually break a brick on those abs and he would barely wince! Such a good catch for our little jumpy bunny" Hiram's words… but Leroy agreed wholeheartedly!).

But what struck them the most was his protective's nature towards the petite woman. They noticed how he always had her tucked under his arm when they were in the crowded sidewalk, or how he kept her shielded, keeping her in the internal part of the footpath when they were pushed on the edge of it, as if he was afraid that something bad might happen to her.

They were basically always touching, in a way or another, and the older men found it really endearing, especially studying the look in their eyes. There was absolutely no doubt on the fact that they were madly in love with one another and that really made the two parents sigh in relief: their little bunny was hurt in the past and they didn't want that to happen again. Sure, they didn't know what the future held for the young couple but, for what is worthy, none of Rachel's previous boyfriend had looked at Rachel the way Puck looked at her. So, they definitely had a good feeling about him.

"It's such a shame that you can't come to dinner tonight" said Leroy to Puck during lunch, one day. It was Finn's birthday and they reserved a table in a really cute restaurant downtown to celebrate with their kids, Santana, Brittany and Marley.

Of course, they asked Noah to join them but he was forced to kindly decline because he still have to be at the club. This week they were already one man down, he couldn't ask Schue a night off too; the owner would bite his head off. He already flipped out when Finn asked him a whole work-week off but, with all the guys covering him up, the curly man admitted defeat and said "Fine. Do whatever the hell you what. I don't give a damn anyway" (Schuester was getting weirder and weirder as weeks went by).

"I know. It blows but I really can't. God knows I'd rather go with you than go to work but…" he shrugged and took a mouthful of spaghetti. He chewed and gulped before continuing (he knew how to behave, alright? And he definitely wanted to made a fan-fucking-tastic impression on his girl's dads) "…Someone has to cover for the birthday boy".

Leroy beamed at him and stated "We're really grateful that you and your friends helped Finn convince your boss to give him these days off. We really miss our kids and be able to spend time with them is always a joy", making Puck smirk and replied "It's no big deal, Mr Berry. Rachel couldn't stop talking about how much she loves family time and how excited she was for this dinner so…".

He felt Rachel pecking his cheek and that made Noah immediately grin while Hiram was basically turning into mush in front of them for how cute his Rachel and her boyfriend were together. Leroy looked fondly at the young couple before saying "Nonetheless, what you and your friends did was really nice and thoughtful, so please thank them on our behalf too. And what have I told you about Mr. Berry? Call me Leroy, please. I'm too young to be called mister… You can call Hiram like that!".

The wild yelp that came out from Rachel's daddy's mouth made the other three persons around the table laugh out loud. He pointed sternly at his husband and shrieked "What?! I'll let you know that I look so much younger than you thanks to pilates classes and a rigorous healthy diet. I'm not like you who bolt down pop tarts after pop tarts. So, just because Mother Nature decided to bring me to life a couple of months earlier than you, that doesn't entitled you to say that I am old!".

Puck leaned to speak to Rachel in her ear and whispered "God, you're so like him!", gaining at slap in the middle of his chest. She frowned and stated "I do not act like him! My personality is the perfect combination of intelligence, talent, congeniality and charisma. Even if I might had been influence by the way they raised me, my personality is completely me and I'm not as dramatic as daddy is!".

Noah and Leroy looked at each other in the eyes before the burst into laughter, leaving their partners staring at them with a blank expression on their faces.

"What's so funny? Noah? Dad?" asked a little bit dumbfounded Rachel. Still laughing, Puck slid an arm around her and dragged her closer to him to kiss her head tenderly, answering "Nothing, babe. Nothing at all".

The small group finished their lunch together and Noah had to say goodbye to them because he had to meet Sam at the gym. After a last kiss to his petite girlfriend, he quickly hugged her parents and walked in the opposite direction.

Hiram put one of his arm around his daughter's shoulders and said "Have we already tell you that we love him? Just so you know, you can't have another boyfriend but him. It's final". Rachel looked up at her daddy with a big smile on her face while stating "I'm so happy that you two like him so much! You know how much your opinion means to me". She said it with such a sweet voice that Hiram squeezed her shoulder lightly, looking at her with a warm smile, and Leroy took her hand in his and kissed the back of it affectionately.

"We don't like him, bunny; we love him! He's so charming and handsome! If he were much older and not so… hetero, I would definitely fall for him. So your dad would be able to marry Tony Danza! Do you know that he just got divorced, Leroy? You should definitely go for it!".

Leroy rolled his eyes before saying "In my dream, we were just watching re-runs of 'Happy Days'! No need to be that jealous! So what am I supposed to say of your dream with David Hasselhoff?" but Hiram quickly rebutted "I was at the beach! Who else was I suppose to dream about? Robert De Niro?".

Out of nowhere, Rachel told them "I dreamed that I had beard and moustache and I didn't know how to shave them". The two parents looked at each other confused and Hiram was the first to speak, quickening the pace "Bunny, what do you think it we treat ourselves at the beauty farm and wax all the superfluous hair away? You know, just to be sure…".

* * *

Sunday night (well… actually Monday early morning; really, really early morning), Puck and Sam entered their place and drank lazily a beer before heading to their bedroom to finally sleep a bit but, as soon as Noah opened his door, he knew that destiny had other plans for him.

In fact, laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, Rachel was sniffing lightly.

He closed the door and laid down next to her, holding her in his strong arms until she decided to speak "I know that you're very tired and I'm really sorry to bother you but I'm so sad, honey. Can I stay with you tonight?". How could he say no to her when she was staring at him with those pools of chocolate, that she had instead of her eyes, all shiny and big and a little pout on her lips, making her the most adorable creature on earth?

"Babe, do you really think you have to ask? Isn't it obvious the answer?" he murmured against her lips before kissing her slowly and letting her relax in his arms. After the kiss, he asked her "Did they arrived home alright?" and looked at her as she nodded with a little pout.

She sighed deeply and wiggled until she could completely cuddle up against him. Then, with a small voice said "Is it strange that I miss them already? I wish they could had stayed a little bit longer…" so that her boyfriend answered "Well… to me, that's definitely weird. I mean: I would have danced the conga seeing my ma going away, after almost a week together". She slapped his chest before saying "Liar. You love your mum", making him laugh and reply "Yeah, I love her but she's bat-shit. You've met her; two days are more than enough for me to handle her crazy".

Rachel studied his face for awhile and told him "They love you, you know that?". Puck smirked at her before asking "Really? Well, there's a first time for everything, right?", which made her giggle. "I suppose" she answered before continuing "They said that I'm not allowed to have another boyfriend so, I guess, you're stuck with me for a long time. Are you sure that you're ready for that?".

He waited for his natural instinct that would make him run and never come back. He really waited… but it never kicked in. Instead a big smile appeared on his face and his heart started to beat fast in his ribcage. So, after he moved out of the way a lock of brown silky hair that fell on her face, he said "Bring it" , kissing her hotly right after.

With their lips swollen and their lungs burning for lack of air, the couple was forced to stop the intense kiss but kept nuzzling their nose against one another. Rachel took his face in her hands and stated "I think daddy has a crush for you", which made Puck laugh out loud. "Babe, of course he's crushing on me! He's a person and has got eyes. I hate to break it up to you but your man is fucking irresistible!".

"And very humble too!" she muttered, rolling her eyes but still enjoying the warmth of his breath against her skin. She smiled amused when he continued "Why should I be humble when it's the fucking truth? And you know damn well that I'm speaking the truth", grabbing her hand and pushing it against his perfect ripped body so that she felt every single muscle under her palm.

Rachel let her hand wander a little bit longer on his body but, as it slid on his side, the woman told him "I was trying to say something serious". "Fine, Go on. But, as you talk, keep moving your hand on me, better if under the shirt and pants. Especially under my pants" he told her, nuzzling his nose against the shell of her ear before biting lightly her lobe.

"Stop it!" she chuckled as she separated herself a little bit from him – unsuccessfully, since he was holding her tight in his arms. She pressed her feet on his calves and wiggles until she was nested against him more comfortably before talking again "As I was saying before you started the praise of your own body, my daddy is just in love with you. You charmed your way into his heart and it's not a very simple task. And dad told me that he can't wait for us to go to Ohio so he can take you fishing. I think they love you more than your mum loves me, and I know that your mother adores me".

The more she talked, the wider he smiled: it was awesome to know that they liked him so much… guessed Berries have a weakness for his awesome Puckerman genes. That made him smirk and say "They're pretty awesome too, babe", which made Rachel reply "Oh, I know! They raised me, after all. Why do you think I become so perfect?". Noah laughed out loud and asked her, with a raised eyebrow "Woah, now who's been the humble one?" but she simply shrugged and stated "I'm just being honest, honey. Why? Don't you think that I'm perfect?". The last part was told with a playful voice and a small grin on her face.

He broke the embrace to place himself over her and put his hands under her shirt, lifting it up just to see her bare flat stomach. She parted her legs to let him get comfortable while he said hotly against her skin "I don't remember. I need to check that" and left open-mouthed kisses on her belly. She giggled as she passed her hands in his mohawk and felt his hands creep a little bit further under the shirt until he lifted it up, over her breasts.

With every peck, he murmured "Perfect" against the tan skin, making her shudder and smile softly. He was able to make her feel like she was a goddess and like he was worshipping every inch of her body, taking care of it with all the tenderness and the attention he could muster.

When he finally took off her shirt and his face was right in front of her face, Rachel's hand caressed gently his face as he stated with a soft voice "Yep. You're still fucking perfect, babe". She sighed and replied "God, I love you so much".

They stared into each other's eyes for a couple of seconds, until a smirk appeared on his chiselled face and he told her "Yeah, call me God from now on, I like it. Sure, you usually call me that when I make you come but…". She was about to start whining but Noah's lips on her stopped her in time and her mind went blank as she felt his tongue gently twirl with hers in her mouth.

The way they made love was absolutely perfect and the way he kept repeating in her ear how much he loved her and how perfect she was, made her forget the sadness for her parents' departure and she found herself thinking that she really didn't want anyone but him at her side. She was his, forever.

* * *

Puck was checking the last stuff with the sound technician at the bar; that night would be his first real, paid musical gig and, even if he didn't want to admit it, he was quite nervous. It would be an hour performance: he spent the last days perfecting his set list and rehearsing with Sam and Finn, who would help him out by playing a backup guitar and the drums, and really hoped he wouldn't fuck it up because he really wished that this weekly gig would help him set foot in the music industry, not just as a singer, but as a songwriter as well. Rachel even encouraged him to put some original songs in the set list so that he would become more comfortable with people listening to his own music and it would e a good way to see what the people's response to them would be.

Noah was talking with the guys when suddenly someone blinded him and said "Luke, I am your father". Puck wanted to laugh out loud: Rachel was on a Star Wars' trip since when they had a Star Wars' marathon with Sam and Quinn, and always tried to imitate Darth Vader's voice. The only thing was that she couldn't do it to save her life. So, he chuckled as he replied "Babe, seriously? You suck at impersonations. You have to stop hanging out so much with Evans; I know it's all his fault".

Rachel release her hold on his eyes, letting him turn. She was beaming at him and kiss him before saying "Don't mistreat my impersonations, Noah. Sam told me that I'm improving in this fine art. Is it correct, Sam?". The blonde man laughed and yell excided "Hell yeah, little grasshopper! Gimme five!"; laughing even harder when Rachel hive-fived him with a happy smile on her face.

She turned to Noah and exclaimed "Oh, Noah, I'm so excited! I can't wait to listen to your songs! Everybody will be here and I also invited some of my castmates; I talked to them about you and your singing and guitar skills and they can't wait to hear you! Tana and Britt are already seated and the others will arrive soon so we'll all be here to support you all. I wanted to put on my 'Team Sunn' t-shirt but Finn begged me not to because he said it wasn't appropriate for this kind of bar so I didn't… however I brought it in my bag so, if you want me to wear it, I'll wear it in no time".

The petite woman barely breathed as she talk, making his head spin. He grabbed her shoulders and looked right into her eyes, stating "Babe, you have to calm the fuck down and breath deeply. You're turning purple and what the fuck is 'Sunn'?" while Finn murmured "Please, please, please, don't make her wear that shirt. Please" but Rachel just flashed him the bigger smile he had ever seen and clapped excitedly her hands before saying "It's the portmanteau for Sam, you and Finn! Oh, Noah, I'm so excited! How can I calm myself? Aren't you excited?".

Puck looked away and just shrugged, trying to hid his anxiety from her but it was sort of mission impossible: she was the one person that knew him better than anyone else. In fact, she grabbed his face in her hands and told him in a sweet tone "Honey, it's normal to be nervous. Just know that we all love you very much and we are right over there so, if you get nervous, you can always look at us and everything will be alright… Or you can imagine the public in their underwear, it's reported to be helpful as well in these situations".

He grinned and dragged her body against his and whispered in her ear "Well, if I imagine you in your underwear I will have another problem. A harder one" before kissing her deeply. The couple barely heard Finn complaints and whimpering, which only ended when Sam dragged him away from the couple and towards their friends.

When the kiss ended, she opened her eyes and got lost in his before stating "I'm very proud of you", at which he replied with a question "Because I imagine you in your underwear?". She rolled her eyes and scoffed "No, you uncouth pig. But I'm very proud that you are following your dream. You're going to be amazing and I know that your family, my dads and Beth, Denise and Frank are very proud of you too". Noah smiled softly but then frowned a little as he asked "How's that? I didn't say anything to them about tonight". His heart beat faster when he heard her say "I did! I was so excited for you that I couldn't keep it just for ourselves. Honey, this is a great thing; you should shout about it from the rooftops. But if you don't feel like it, then I'll do it for you because the world have to know how amazing my boyfriend is!".

He laughed and hugged her tight, holding her even tighter when he felt her lips pecking sweetly his neck. "You're pretty fucking awesome, babe" he said against her hair "But, please, don't wear that shirt… like, never ever ever. Please", laughing out loud when she snorted and said, faking annoyance "It's beautiful and you guys don't understand how outstanding it is".

He tugged her towards the table where all their friends while saying "Babe, I don't need a shirt to remind me how awesome I am. Believe me: I already know that. But I totally appreciate the intention".

"Your ego manages to make me speechless every time. It's definitely a skill!" she winked at him before hugging tight Kurt and the others while looking for her cast mates. By the time she found them, Noah was nowhere to be found, along with Finn and Sam, so he just introduced them to her group of friends and sat down, impatiently waiting for the show to start.

When the threesome got up the stage, she was the first one to clap at them, beaming when Noah winked at her.

* * *

Puck was absolutely in cloud nine.

After the gig, he felt like he could do anything. He had a blast and, even if not everything went down smoothly (barely noticeable flaws, though), the crowd enjoyed the set too and even called for an encore. Finn and Sam were pretty enthusiastic themselves and were fist-bumping and talking excitedly right in front of him. They clapped their hands on Noah's shoulder repeating just how much fun it was to play together.

Even Mr. Harris congratulated to them and said to Puck to feel free to bring Sam and Finn along every time he wanted to. Guess this gig thing wasn't a pretty big opportunity just for him but for them as well and it would be totally awesome to start playing together seriously and for good. He did a quick mental note to ask them later if they were in for the long haul.

They joined their friends after stopping at the bar a beer and, as soon as they arrived, Rachel jumped in his arms and hugged him tight, saying "You were amazing, Honey!" with a super excited voice. He didn't even manage to hug her back that she was already on Finn, hugging him as well. It was always hilarious to see the siblings next to each other and that time was no different: they seemed like a little koala perched on the highest tree.

Once she climbed down him, she congratulated happily to Sam before returning on her boyfriend's side. Her arms immediately circled his torso and she looked up at him asking "So? How do you feel?", enjoying the way his hands worked on her neck. He smirked when he stated "Babe, that wasn't the first time I played on that stage" but Rachel quickly rebutted "Last time, it was for fun. But this one… You actually got paid for it. So, how do you feel?".

"Fucking great, Rach. I loved it. Did you have fun?" he uttered without breaking eye contact with his little midget, who nodded happily before exclaiming "You were absolutely amazing. Sure, I noticed some little mistakes every now and then but I hardly think that the majority of these people noticed them as well. So, in my opinion, you did really great; and you only rehearsed for a couple of days! Just think of how great you could be if you put more effort in it! You could be unstoppable!".

He kissed her forehead and murmured against her tanned skin "Thanks for being here". He almost missed her reply, which was said in the same hushed tone "I wouldn't be anywhere else but here with you"; but he heard it and it made his heart beat faster than when he was on stage.

Their little bubble was broken by her cast mates, who wanted to congratulate to him as well and were very curious to meet the person that Rachel couldn't stop talking about. Noah accepted the compliments gladly and the group spent the night laughing and having fun in honour to the threesome's gig.

* * *

Rachel was watching quietly "Moulin Rouge" with Teddy wrapped in her arms tightly and a big sad pout on her face. Kleenex were ready to be used since she could already feel big fat tears trying to dive down her cheeks.

Puck entered in the living room in that precise moment, finishing to put his shirt on and with the mohawk still dump after the shower he just took. He looked at the watch, checking how much time he had to figure out what was wrong with his girlfriend before going to work. Even if it was Monday, he, Finn and Mike had to perform at a birthday's party so the two men had to meet up with Chang and Schue at the club in less than an hour and a half.

He sighed and sat down beside Rachel, who was now fully crying and holding onto Teddy as her life depended on it. He gently dragged her next to him and whispered "What's wrong?". She sniffed and blew a little bit in the tissue before replying in a small voice "Nothing. It's just a really sad movie". He looked carefully at her and stated "That's bullshit, babe. I know you, remember? Now tell me what's really wrong".

She stretched herself until she was ale to grab the remote and put the movie in pause. She looked down her lap, at the teddy bear, and said "I don't know what's wrong with me today. It's just a sad day. You know, one of those when you just feel that something bad is going to happen and you have that feeling in your bones and in your stomach that makes you want to throw up. And cry. A lot. So, this is why I'm watching "Moulin Rouge". I wanted Nutella too but then I remembered that me and Tana finished it and I forgot to buy a new jar of it", sighing deeply once she finished talking.

He was definitely confused so he simply asked "B, are you PMSing?" and hold her still when she tried to free herself from his hold. She crossed her arms and replied hotly "No, Noah, I'm not PMSing! I just feel that something bad is going to happen and that makes me nervous and anxious. I've always been a little psych so I know it's just a matter of time…" but frowned when he started to laugh at her and told her "Babe, this is a bunch of crap. Nothing's gonna happen and we will be fine. So don't you worry that pretty little mind".

"You quoting Taylor Swift won't make me forget about it but I can assure you that Sam will know about it and I bet he will be elated by the revelation" she deadpanned, relaxing a it only when she felt his hands slide on the higher part of her back as he tried to soothe her worries.

"B" he said "Believe me. Nothing is going to happen; you just had a really bad day. But I promise you that, when I'll be back later, I'll make you forget about it completely. Can't wait to fuck you all night long", making her giggle and shot back "Don't you be so crude, Noah. You know that I don't like referring to it like that".

He chuckled and refrained "I can't wait to make love to you all night long. Better?". She raised the stuffed teddy bear until it was right in front of his face and pushed his tummy, smiling as Teddy said "I love you, babe".

Puck grabbed the toy and threw it behind his back, watching as Rachel's face contorted in a shocked expression and her mouth hung open. "Teddy! No!" the petite woman cried out loud and launched herself to save the stuffed teddy bear but was blocked by Noah's strong arms, which dragged her on his lap.

Rachel pouted and crossed her arms before asking sternly "Why did you do that? What has he ever done to you?", narrowing her gaze at him. Puck chortled and held her tighter as he said "I don't want to hear it said by a fucking teddy bear, even if it's a very badass and cool one. I want to hear it coming from you" but Rachel muttered under her breath "You don't deserve to hear it after the way you treated poor Teddy".

He laughed out loud and started to pecking mercilessly every inch of her face until she was cracking up and let her defences down. "Fine" she snickered "I love you. Are you happy now?". Against her lips, Puck said hotly "Very" before sucking her lower lip and teasing it until she welcomed his tongue in her mouth.

They kissed hotly until a very annoyed Finn told them "Could you please keep it PG? Seriously, it's disturbing seeing my sister practically being groped by one of my friends. And we're actually kinda late so we really have to go, Puck. And why the heck is Teddy on the floor?", taking the poor stuffed animal in his hands.

Rachel beamed at him and extended her arms at him, saying "Gimme, gimme, gimme" and hugging the toy tightly once he was safe in her arms again. Puck laughed and pecked her on the forehead before saying "Ok, baby girl. You watch Dora The Explorer and then right to sleep. Sorry I can't be here to tuck you in and read to you the bedtime story". Rachel narrowed slightly but then she smiled brightly and pecked his nose after telling him "You're forgiven just for this time".

The petite woman waved goodbye at her brother and watched the two walking to the door but, before they could close the door behind them, she told them "Please, be careful tonight. Please" and shoot Finn a uncertain smile after he winked at her and told her not to worry.

* * *

Rachel was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering why that heavy sensation in her stomach wouldn't let her alone. She even thought it was because of something she ate that day but she barely eaten because of that restless feeling.

She tried to do everything to push it away: yoga, warm bubble bath, hot tea, reading a few chapter of 'Pride and Prejudice'… but it was still there. Still. There. And now it was almost two in the morning and she couldn't find herself to fall asleep; thank God that the day after she would had a free day or she would had been sporting some big bags under her eyes at rehearsal.

The petite brunette was about to read for the umpteenth time the Barbra Straisand biography Kurt gave her for Christmukkah when her phone went off and she froze on the spot. It's never good news when someone calls you at 2 a.m. and she was sure that that was not an exception; it was enough for her heart to start pounding on her chest and her head to go in dark places.

She checked the screen and saw a unfamiliar number shine angrily on it. Rachel took a deep breath and, with a shaky voice, said "Hello?". "_Babe! It's me!_" Noah reassured her from the other end, making her ask "Noah? What happened? Why aren't you calling me with your phone? Are you okay? Is Finn okay?". She listened as he took a deep breath and replied "_We're fine; it's just… Can you come here?_". The woman immediately told him yes and asked him where they were. What came out from her boyfriend's mouth was the last thing she expected to hear, though: "_We're at the 5__th__ Precinct. We're under arrest_".

* * *

**That's a wrap for chapter 18! Did you like it?:D Why are the guys being arrested? Let me know and write a review, please! See you soon, dearies!**


	19. Detained

**Hello my dearies!**

**Thank you so much for your lovely reviews and your support! I'm so happy that you guys liked the chapter, it really makes me so happy! So, please, keep reviewing the story because it really means the world knowing your opinion!**

**Before I leave you with the new chapter, I have to tell you that this is a PURE WORK OF FICTION! I don't have idea on how the law works in the USA nor how police works. My knowledge on the topic only comes from "Murder, She wrote", "CSI" and "Criminal Minds" so...Just enjoy the ride ;)**

* * *

Puck and Finn entered in the club, talking about the last baseball game, and greeted Mike, who was texting seated comfortable on one of the barstools.

The threesome was bickering jokingly when Schue came into the main hall and told them "Good night, gentlemen. Your clothes are in the dressing room so go change and we can go." Puck stopped in track and asked "We? The fuck you're talking about, Schue? You never come with us when we strip in private parties" but the owner interrupted him rudely by saying "Well, tonight I'll come. Period. So go get fucking dressed as we wait for JBI; he'll come with us".

"You must be fucking kidding me" Puck spat "Like hell the freak is coming too! Are you out of your damn mind, Schuester?" and he definitely didn't expect the angry reply of the older one "You shut your fucking mouth right now, you son of a bitch! I'm the one taking decisions in here so you just suck the fuck up and do what I told you to do".

Puck was breathing heavily from his nostrils, jaw and fists clenched tightly and, in a very angry tone, he asked "The fuck did you just call me, asshole?!" but, as he tried to take a step towards the curly man to rearrange his face, he felt himself be held back by Finn and Chang while being dragged away and behind the curtain. He tried to yell at them to let him go but they did it only when they were locked safely in the dressing room.

Puck looked at them unbelievably but Mike promptly told him "You have to calm down. We cannot perform with your hands bleeding nor do we want you to lose the job. So calm down, get in that policeman uniform and get ready to perform".

"Am I the only one who finds fucking strange that the asshole and the creep decided to come with us? I don't trust them and I don't want them there!" Puck said but that was met only by shrugs. Finn looked at him apologetically as he put his pants on and told him "I don't trust them either but if they say they're coming, then they're coming. I don't want to lose the job by picking up a fight with my boss: for the first time in years, I don't have money problems and I even managed to save a large part of my paystubs. I don't want to lose it".

So Puck closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down a bit before getting ready to become officer Puckerman, stallion extraordinaire.

* * *

They arrived at the party and the three strippers waited in the car until midnight, when their performance would start, while Schue and Jewfro went in immediately.

The building looked kinda old and it was near the NYU campus and they knew that it was mostly inhabited by students; it wasn't the first time they performed in one of those apartments and Puck definitely spent a couple of night in there, every time with a different type of girl.

The atmosphere in the car was still a little bit tense from before but Finn and Mike tried to cheer Puck up, goofing around the cabin and didn't stop until they managed to make their friend laugh at least one time. After that, they bickered and joked until it was showtime.

The three guys knocked on the door; Puck in front of the other two. A skinny brunette girl opened the door and her eyes grew wider when she saw the three man standing in front of her, sure that they were real officers.

Stuttering a little, the girl said "Go-good night, officer. H-how can I-I help you?". The three flashed their fake badges at her and Noah was the only one to talk "Good night, miss. NYPD. You live here?". The scared woman nodded frantically and uttered a shy "Yes" so Puck asked "What's your name?", at which the woman replied "Sugar. Sugar Motta. I-I'm so sorry if we were too loud. I swear, I'll throw everyone out and I will pay you lot of money for your inconvenience. My daddy is very rich".

Puck, still in character, said sternly "Sugar, can you move back for me, please?" and took a step into the apartment as the woman jumped back quickly and his two friends right behind him. The threesome checked the surroundings as real officers would do. The apartment was divided in two big rooms: in the one on their left, all the man were gathered around a round green table, probably playing poker, while others (and, in this group, there were Schue and JBI too) were talking in a corner and, in the living room, a group of women were talking and sipping at their drinks.

"What do we have here? Underage drink, noise, gambling" the hazel-eyed man said and then, talking to the boys "Gentlemen, everybody here is 21?". After everybody in there nodded, he stated "I still have to check your IDs, unfortunately", before saying to Sugar "Can you come for me in here, please?". The girl immediately did what he asked to and looked anxiously at her friends as Puck queried the same question that he previously asked to the boys "Ladies, everybody here is 21 too? Are you sure?". In the meantime, Finn and Mike were circling the room, checking suspiciously the girls.

Sugar was walking backwards, not glancing away from the man, while Puck continued, pointing at one girl "You're definitely not 21. I'm sorry, miss". Then, he looked into the afraid brunette in front of him and questioned "When's your birthday?". Sugar answered "May 20th. I just turned 20", making Puck reply "Yeah, 20. That's what I thought. Put your hands on the wall".

The young woman turned while Noah intimated to the rest of the girls to sit down, telling them that they were going to stay there for a while. "Spread your legs for me, miss. Do you have anything sharp that I could stick myself with?" he asked, while patting lightly the girl and getting closer to her. Sugar shook her head so Puck, with a smirk on his face, said "Good. 'Cause I do".

At that, Mike turned the music up as Puck pull out his pants, action immediately mirrored by the Asian and Finn, who tore their shirts out. The girls went crazy and started to holler and yelling in excitement while the guys quickly lost all their clothes.

They were still dancing and grinding against some of the girls in there when the main door burst open and yells of real officers filled the house, intimating them to stay put and raise their hands in surrender. The rest was a blur: the only thing that he remembered clearly was being dragged out of the apartment, just in his briefs, and being put in a police cruiser with Finn and Mike, directed to the precinct.

The ride was silent since every time Finn tried to speak, he was shushed by the two officers who were in the front sits. Puck shut his eyes tight and let his head fall on his chest; his mind immediately went to Rachel: she would freak the fuck out. That's for sure. But he knew that, if there was someone who could help them out of that mess, it was his babe.

"We have one phone call, right?" Puck asked with an even voice and received a nod in response from the two New York's Finest. His two friends were frowning at him, eyeing him with curiosity and asking themselves how on earth he could be so calm in that shitty situation.

Puck tried to get comfortable in the seat (Well… As comfortable as he could get with his hands handcuffed behind his back) and said "Rachel will help us". Finn's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets as he replied "Are you out of your freaking mind? She will freak out! No! We're not calling her! We can call Sam, no?".

Mike opened his eyes wide in panic and shook his head quickly while Noah answered "Dude, are you listening to yourself? Sam fucking sucks under pressure! But Rach is a war machine when it comes to that. So, we're calling her. And do you remember how she was when we went out? I know she's still freaking out about it so I rather let her know we're fucking alive and where the hell we are!".

"Hey! Shut the hell up back there!" the officer, who was riding in the passenger side, told them. Finn sulked in his place in the seat but, as soon as the officer turned, he hissed "Fine, But you're calling her. I cannot deal with her freaking out, right now", at which Puck nodded; he wouldn't let the tall guy speak to her anyway, he wanted to reassure her himself.

The police station was absolutely hectic: Schue, JBI and some kids got arrested as well and there were other random delinquent and some prostitutes too, with officers walking quickly from one desk to another. To keep them quiet until the captain could interrogate them or set a bail, the threesome and everyone who was arrested at the party were thrown in several cells but, before the officer was able to drag Puck in the cell (that he would share with Finn, Mike, Schue and Jewfro), the mohawked man stated "I want to make the phone call right now".

The policeman looked at him right in the eyes before nodding and informing his colleague of where they were going. After a brief stop in the bathroom (where Puck could put on some clothes that were given to him), the police officer brought Noah to his desk (or at least, Puck assumed that much from some photos that showed the man with a cute redhead) and pointed at the phone, telling him that he would have just 5 minutes.

He keyed his girlfriend's number and waited for her to pick the phone up. When she did, he could feel just how anxious she was. "_Hello?_" he heard her say in a quivering voice so he hurried to reassure her somehow "Babe! It's me!". After that she asked with panic in her voice "_Noah? What happened? Why aren't you calling me with your phone? Are you okay? Is Finn okay?_" so he took a deep breath and replied "We're fine; it's just… Can you come here?". "_Of course, Noah! Where are you?_" she told him immediately and he closed his eyes tight as the words "We're at the 5th Precinct. We're under arrest".

"_Noah, how… What…_" Rachel's voice shakily said from the other end of the line but Puck had to cut the conversation short "Babe, I can't explain it right now. I just have 5 minutes. But don't freak out, please. We're fine, okay? Me, Finn and Mike are fine… A little bit shocked but fine. We haven't done anything wrong, you know that, right?" and he was glad to hear her reply immediately "_Of course I know that, Noah! I know you! I'll be there in no time and with a lawyer for the three of you. Don't worry honey. And, please, tell Finn that I love him, okay? God knows how afraid he is right now_…".

The officer tapped on his wrist, signalling that it was time to end the phone call, so Puck said "Babe, I have to go. Time is up. See you soon, okay?". She hurried to say that she will be there as soon as she could before adding "_I love you, honey_", at which he smile and simply said "Yeah, me too".

Noah got up and the officer walked him to the cell. The policeman told him with a playful smile "Your girl, uh? And here I was, thinking that you would had called your lawyer. That was pretty stupid from you" but Puck shook his head and replied "You don't know her. If you did then you would know that it was the best thing to do".

In fact, not even 20 minutes later, they heard a very familiar voice yelling "I demand to see them! The accusations they're charged with are just ridiculous and, I swear to God, if I don't see them in the next few minutes, I'm going to report you for hate crimes faster than you can say Burger King!". A deeper voice immediately replied to her "What are you talking about, crazy girl?! You're not even their lawyer!" but Rachel immediately rebutted "You're keeping them under arrest just because one is Asian, one's Jewish and the other one is the son of a gay couple, since the charges are absolutely preposterous. And, if you keep implying that I'm crazy, I have to add defamation in the pile!".

A mere seconds after that, the door that separated the cell section from the main hall burst open and a fat man in uniform with a big scowl on his face entered the section, immediately followed by the petite woman. As soon as Rachel saw them, she sprinted towards them and immediately grabbed her boyfriend's face in her hands, pecking hi lips. Then she went for her brother and hated the feelings of the bars between them: she knew Finn and it was certain that he was really scared by the whole situation. She just wanted to hug him really tight, just like he did when they were little and she was afraid of storms and thunders.

As she moved to check on Mike, she started to talk frantically "Oh my God, guys! Are you okay? Don't worry, I'm not going anyway. I'm going to stay here with you and Santana is already on her way so you don't really have to worry!". Puck frowned a little as he asked "Babe, why is Santana coming here? I though you said you were coming with a lawyer!" but, instead of Rachel, Finn answered that question "Dude, Santana is a lawyer. Well, not a real lawyer 'cause she's going to graduate in a couple of months but she's doing an internship for a pretty kickass law firm and she's really good at it".

Puck's and mike's eyes were wide in shock. How the hell didn't they know that?! They knew the woman for more than six months and they never knew this piece of information!

However, the deep voice of the police officer brought them out of their haze when he stated "Hey, doll! I told you that you can't stay for more than two minutes!". Rachel snapped at him "Should I add sexual harassment too, officer? And I'm not going anywhere, I made it pretty clear earlier!". The man was about to reply her when a familiar voice said "Tanaka, she can stay. I'll watch them; you can go". The fat policeman frowned at his colleague as he said "But, Beiste…".

Shannon patted his shoulder and tilted her head to the door, signalling him to get out. She waited for the door to be closed before turning on her heels and facing four sets of shocked eyes. Silence settled among the small group until Mike asked the masculine woman "Bestie, what are you doing here? And why are you wearing a uniform?". Shannon smiled guiltily at the men behind the bars and answered "I'm a cop".

Rachel's mouth was agape until a thought crossed her mind. "Do you have something to do with the three of them being arrested?" she demanded, crossing her arms in front of her chest while looking at the bigger woman with a mix of anger and hurt in her eyes.

Beiste pinched the bridge of her nose and grimaced before replying "Yes, I do. But they weren't my goal; they were just caught in the middle. A couple of months ago, we arrested Karofsky for armed robbery and drug possession but we reduced his sentence after he gave us information about the fact that Schue and JBI were in touch with some pretty big drug smugglers and that they met up with them at the club sometimes and during some of the external events. So, I took Karofsky's place as bouncer, monitored the situation and gathered evidences to arrest some of the drugs dealers, Schue and Ben-Israel. And, when I found out that tonight they would have met some of the pushers at the party, I knew that it was the perfect occasion to catch them. I seriously didn't want you guys to get involved but it's just kinda happened".

Rachel was absolutely shocked but she still managed to asked in a strangled cry "But why are they still in a cell if you know that they are not guilty of any of the charges they're accused of?! Why on earth didn't you let them go and arrest only the other ones?!". Puck extended his arm between the bar until he was able to reach for his girlfriend's hand and dragged her nearer to him so he could try to calm her down. She was basically shake in anger and was glaring at the bouncer (pardon… officer).

Shannon took another deep breath and told her "My boss doesn't believe that they're not guilty and that they had nothing to do with what was happening at the club. He already took samples of their bloods to see whether they use drugs or not and, after he's done with Schue and JBI, he will probably interrogate them".

Rachel looked at Puck with a sad expression and Puck was afraid that the petite woman could think that they really knew of Schue and JBI's connection with the dealers so he immediately said "Babe, we didn't know shit! Believe me!". Rachel's hands caressed sweetly his cheeks, feeling his smooth skin under her palm, and reassured him "I know, honey. I know the three of you. You're good people. It's just not fair that you have to go through all this".

As he wiped a angry tear from her cheek, the door burst open again and Santana entered in the section, followed by Tanaka, whose eyes wouldn't leave the Latina's ass that was perfectly wrapped in a pencil skirt.

"Fellas, hello. You okay?" Santana asked them, speaking particularly to Finn (even if she really enjoyed make fun of him, she really cared for the tall man and loved him; he stood by her when she needed someone to lean on – along with all the Berry family – and she would do anything in her power to help him out).

When they told her that they were okay but really wanted to forget that night, Santana started to talk about their situation "So, I talked with the captain and he told me that you're charged of alleged drug possession and use along with being connected to the drug cartel they're after. Of course, I told him that is just a bunch of bullshit and denied the allegations. We're waiting for the medical results to prove that you're clear. They also said that you're going to stay in cell for a couple of more hours, until they're done turning the screw on curly-fairy and the creep. Then, they're going to interrogate you singularly and I'll be right by your side, making sure to save your ass so all you have to do is do what I'll tell you to do or say. And since they haven't a damn thing to keep you here, you'll be out of there in no time". The black-haired woman looked into the men's eyes, asking "Everything's clear?", and nodded in satisfaction when all the men bobbed their heads.

During the whole speech, Rachel didn't let go of Puck's hand, clenching at it between the bars and glancing between her best friend and the three men behind the bars. She started to move her fingers across Noah's knuckles and, when Santana stopped to talk, she whispered to him "You'll be out in no time, honey. Trust Santana; she knows what she's doing".

They waited at least a couple of hours before they were called into the interrogation room and the only time Rachel left Puck was when Finn went out the cell so she could hug him and whispered to him reassuring words as well.

Puck was the last to be called in. When he entered in the room, he took in the environment. The room was dark grey and the table in the centre was illuminated by a lamp; on one side, a big window showed the street, lighted by the soft light of dawn and the streetlights.

Santana was sitting with her legs crossed while leafing through a file, looking like she was bored out of her damn mind. When she felt Puck coming in, she raised her head from the file and smirked at the captain, who was leaning on the wall right in front of her. "Very well. Mr Puckerman is the last so let's end this farce. This light is doing nothing for my complexion" stated the Latina, signalling to Puck to seat next to her.

The captain looked at Puck in the eyes and, after pushing the recorder's button, said "Noah Puckerman. Born August 17th, 1987 in Clinton, Massachusetts. Am I correct?" the captain asked. Puck nodded but the other man, who was blondish and has a quite large frame, told him sternly "You have to talk out loud, Puckerman" so the hazel-eyed man reiterated "Yes, it's correct", staring intensely into the other's eyes.

The captain sat down and asked him "What are your connection with Jacob Ben-Israel and William Schuester?". Noah answered curtly "Schuester is my boss and Ben-Israel works as DJ at the club" but the captain immediately rebutted accusingly "They're not simply your boss and your colleague! You're involved with them in the Lancini drug cartel!", which drew out two different responses from the people in front of him.

Where Puck spat "This is fucking bullshit! I've nothing to do with the shit Schue and the creep are into!", Santana laughed out loud and, after calming her friend down by placing a hand on his forearm, said calmly "Captain Menkins, I would be very careful with your accusations. You have no proofs against my client; so, would you be so kind to get to the point where you show us what evidences you actually have against Mr. Puckerman?".

Menkins grabbed the file from the Latina's hands and opened it up in front of Noah, tapping on a sheet of paper to indicate a document. The captain raised his voice and uttered "Don't play goody-goody with me, Puckerman! I'm sure you're involved. You have criminal record". Puck frowned and looked down t read the file, realising that it was from the time he was arrested in high school.

Noah's nostrils flared a bit and hissed "I'm not doing that shit anymore. I paid my dues with the law; I spend two months in juvie and then social work. That was it. I didn't do shit since then!". The Latina was looking at the captain with boredom in her eyes and cleared her voice before speaking. "Wait a minute. You're saying that you base your accusations on something that my client did when he was…" she took the sheet of paper in her hands and searched the piece of information she needed "17? Really? It wasn't even a drug-related crime! He drove his mother's car into a convenience store and stole an ATM! This is ridiculous. I don't even know why we're still talking if you have nothing against him".

An officer knocked on the door and went in, giving to his captain some papers and telling him "The blood results of Hudson, Chang and Puckerman, captain". Captain Menkins thanked the subordinate and read it; the more he read, the more he sulked. The three men's blood were clean from any kind of illicit substances.

Santana extended her hand and stared at the man until he gave her the documents, which she read carefully. As soon as she finished reading, she grinned at the captain and stated "So now can we put an end on this nonsense and let my clients go home? I really don't have time to waste and neither have they. And I fully expect that all the accusations are dropped right now for all the three of them".

Santana got up, immediately followed by Noah, and the two went out of the room, leaving a quite frustrated captain behind. The couple looked out for their friends until they found them sitting in the main hall on some plastic chairs: Mike had his head tilted back and his eyes were closed while Finn was staring down at his feet while playing with his sister's locks, since her head was resting on his shoulder.

Rachel was the first to see them and stood up quickly, walking very fast until she slammed her body against Noah's. She held him tight and asked "Are you okay, honey?". After Puck nodded and kissed her crown, the petite brunette turned to her best friend and asked "Now what will happen, Tana?" as they walked towards the desk where the men could take back their possessions. "Nothing at all, B. The department will drop all the accusations and the guys won't have to think about it ever again. The only thing that can happen is for them to testify at the trial that Schue and JBI will probably have to face, but they're free to choose whether they want to or not. That's it".

Rachel hugged the Latina as tight as she could and whispered in her ear "Thank you so much, Tana. I owe you so much. We would had been lost without your help", which made Santana smile affectionately and squeeze her a bit before saying "Hey, you and Finn are family. You don't owe me absolutely nothing, B".

Once outside, the group parted: Santana and Mike took a cab (Rachel offered Mike to stay with them for the night if he didn't feel like being alone after a night like that but the Asian politely declined the offer – he really couldn't wait to be in his own bed- and shared the car with the Latina, since they lived quite close to one another) while Finn, Noah and Rachel waited for another taxi. The petite brunette was afraid that Puck would prefer going in his own house but, when she asked, he said "I just want to be with you after a shitty night like that", making her smile broadly.

The car ride was silent and the first words where uttered by the tallest man inside her and Finn's apartment. "Guys, I'm going to sleep. Bye" he simply said before disappear behind his bedroom door. Rachel was staring at it a little bit worried so she told Puck "Noah, do you mind if I check on him first? I'll be back soon". The mohawked man looked down at her before saying "Sure, babe. Don't worry" but, as soon as he tried to walk away, she grabbed his hand, making him turn, and kissed him deeply, rolling her tongue with his and smiling when he moaned lowly. When she broke the kiss, Puck whined loudly but Rachel just giggled and pushed him gently away before heading to the kitchen.

10 minutes after, she was knocking lightly on her brother's door and opened it, her head sneaking from behind the door only to see Finn laying on his back, eyes wide open and hands intertwined on his stomach. "Can I come in? I brought you hot cocoa with marshmallow. Just like you like it" she told him sweetly. He turned his head so he could see her and smirked goofily before patting at the spot next to him and sitting up against the headboard. Rachel paddled her way to the bed and sat next to him, passing him the mug. She watched him blow on the hot beverage before taking some tentative sips and then she asked "How do you feel, Finnie?".

Finn stayed silent a little bit longer before saying "I'm fine, I guess. I'm just a little bit shaken up. It was the first time I was in a police department and I was in jail so, let's say it wasn't a very nice first time". He took another sip at the cocoa and kept going "But the worst part was when they arrested us. I was just in my undies. I mean, how embarrassing was that? And I just kept thinking 'Thank God Rach and Marley can't see me like that'".

Rachel hugged him sideway and rested her head on his shoulder, whispering "I'm so sorry you had to feel that way". Finn gave her a small smile and continued "Thanks. And now I'm jobless. So, I would probably return to work two jobs or something like that to not be as penniless as before" but Rachel shove it lightly and stated "That's not going to happen, Finn. My salary is way higher than before and you'll be paid for playing with Noah and Sam so you just have to find a regular job. Don't worry for the rest. We're not in the same situation than before and finally we can say to dad and daddy what your real job is!". The two laughed amused and Rachel felt like her job was done there so she kissed his temple and ruffled his hair before getting up and said sweetly "Everything is going to work out for the best, Finnie. Believe me. Now I leave you to rest; sweet dreams".

"'Night Rachie" he managed to say before she closed the door behind her and walked to her room. The only light that brightened up the room came from the bedside lamp (he rolled down the shades so they could sleep in without being bother by the sunlight that was already starting to illuminate the city) and she could see Noah laying on her bed, eyes close and even breath. She changed quickly in her pyjamas and crawled next to him, snuggling against his side and hugging his torso after switching off the lamp. She loved that her boyfriend started to sleep with his shirt off, since the weather definitely got better and the temperature raised, so she could feel every line, every muscle and his warm skin under her palm and be lulled by the beat of his heart.

Like a reflex, his arm went around her and dragged her even closer to him, tightening his grip on her before sighing deeply. She smiled and kissed the spot right on his heart, murmuring "Love you, honey".

The only thing she remembered before falling asleep was his babbling and the way he murmured "Rach" sleepily. Just when she thought she couldn't love the man anymore, he proved her wrong.

* * *

**Did you liked it? I really, really hope so! Please, tell me your opinion by writing me a review! I can't wait to find out what you guys thought of it! See you soon!**

**P.s.: So, so sorry about the delay but my grandma is in the hospital so I'm barely at home. I'll try to be more punctual in the future.**


	20. Talking About The Future

**Hello beautiful people!**

**As usual, thank you so much to every single one of you who faved, followed and REVIEWED my story. It really, really, really, really means the world to me! I know I always start like that but I feel so happy to know that you like my story and I'm still so overwhelmed to feel your support! I'm so grateful for you all!**

**So, I'm feeling like this story is close to the end but recently I started thinking about doing a sequel, because I feel like there are some more things that can happen to our Puckleberry. I'm thinking setting it around five years after this story. What do you guys think? Should I do it or is it better if I end it all with this one and focus my attention on other ideas? Let me know!**

**Here's a new chapter of my story... I didn't feel very inspired while writing it but I hope you'll find it enjoyable as well.**

* * *

The next morning, Puck was woken up by Rachel's sweet pecks all over his face.

God, he could really get used to be woken up like that every day.

He smiled sleepily; a small smirk turned in a big-ass grin when he heard her smooth voice whispered "Hello, honey. I made you a very, very, very late brunch". He frowned a little and asked with a raspy voice "What time is it?", popping his eyes wide open when she said "It's three p.m.".

"Shit, I have to meet Evans at the gym in an hour!" he exclaimed but, as he tried to get up, Rachel's soft hand kept him in place and told him "Finn already called Sam and the guys. They're coming over around five so we can explain to them what happened last night and he told him that you were not going this afternoon at the gym. He didn't tell them anything specific about this morning because we think it's better say to them that they lost their job in person and not through a cold phone device. Santana will come here too if any of them have any sort of question so now you stay there and enjoy your late brunch".

She picked the breakfast tray table and settled it above him before clapping her hands together in satisfaction. On it, she prepared all things she knew he loved: his mother's waffles (one of the perks of being liked by Noah's mother: she'll give you the secret recipe of the famous Sarah Puckerman's waffles that it's still a secret even for Rebecca! Rachel thought that she could asked Sarah for a kidney and she would happily agree. As long as she could give her perfect Jewish grandbabies…), a venti cup of Caramel macchiato, eggs and bacon and some ham and cheese sandwiches, along with orange juice (there was fruit too but that was mostly for her).

Puck licked his lips as he could feel his mouth water at the sight of all that food in front of him and looked at his girlfriend with a huge grin on his face before asking "This is fucking awesome! Thanks babe! But what's that for?".

Rachel passed a hand in his mohawk and sighed, telling him "I wanted to apologise for leaving you alone when we came home last night and going after Finn instead of talking to you about what happened. It's just that every time I look at Finn, I see a 8-year-old boy and I can't help but worry. So, I decided to spoil you a little today".

His arm slid around her waist and dragged her closer to him so he could kiss her slowly and languidly. Against her lips, he then said "B, you don't need to worry. I'm fine. Really" before focusing on the food and squeezing out of its bottle the chocolate syrup on the waffles, after putting some banana slices on them.

As he cut the waffles in smaller parts, he stated "You know what? It can be a good thing all this shit about not working at the club anymore… - Fuck, babe. These are fucking perfect!". He moaned a little when he ate the first piece of waffle. She giggled at his reaction and she told him about the long phone call with his mother and the fact that she gladly gave her the recipe. "However, why do you think it's a positive factor not working at New Directions anymore?" she continued, wondering how she passed from comforting her brother for the lost job to a pretty content Puck who was actually glad not to work there anymore. Don't get her wrong: she was absolutely ecstatic that now she wouldn't have to share her man with hundreds of hungry and horny women but she was curious to hear his motivations.

He popped his fingertips from his mouth, cleaning them from the chocolate syrup, and took a good sip at the macchiato before saying "Well, first of all, I don't have to see you put on your stage smile every time I have to go to work. Babe, you could be an actress but your eyes speak louder than words". She blushed lightly and squirmed a little bit in her place, making Noah chuckle and pecking her lips lightly. Then, he kept explaining "Second, I can focus on my music career. I can ask Joel to put us in the Friday slot so more people can hear us and we'll have more chances of being discovered". He could feel her beaming at him even if his attention was on the delicious stripes of greasy bacon and continued "Besides, I don't have to deal with Schue and his fucking dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde shit. Most of the time, I just wanted to punch his damn face".

Rachel sat next to him and ate one strawberry before telling him "I'm actually a little bit sorry for Mr. Schuester. Finn told me that, at the beginning, he wasn't like that; that he was a nice person. It's really sad that he took wrong decisions that leaded him into this situation; he isn't a bad person per se". She glances her boyfriend who was now bolted down half sandwich in one morsel and giggled at the sight.

But she continued with her little speech "However, I'm so angry that he had to involve the club and his employees and that's not just because I have a really close relationships with them but also because it's highly inappropriate and unprofessional! But I don't think he deserves all this either. Noah, what do you think of him? As a person, not as your boss… well, former boss".

Noah stopped chewing and looked at her in the eyes "Never had a problem with him until he hired Jewfro. For the first years he barely spoke to JBI so he was still his old self but then they start to get to know each other and the more he got closer to the creep, the strangest he became. I've never liked the prick: it was always strange and creepy and just… Something was off with him, you know? And I wanted to break his face since that time he tried to kiss you". He shrugged his shoulders before keep going "In the last period, Schue was a fucking asshole and my hands itched because I wanted to beat the shit out of him every damn time we were in the same room. Guess he took so much shit that it fried his brain" and gulping down the orange juice, officially finishing his brunch. He put the tray on the floor and smiled wickedly at his girlfriend, grabbing her by the wrist and tugging her until she was straddling him. "Noah, don't…" she warned him as she giggled, making him reply "You told me you would spoil me". His hands moved on her smooth and warm tights, sliding under her light dress. She shivered feeling his strong callous hands on her, closing her eyes and licking her lips in anticipation. He had fun teasing her pulse point, sucking it a little, and smirked when he felt her beat increase.

"Honey, we don't have time" she moaned… well, that didn't come out as convinced as she wanted to appear (he knew that she could turn into mush with just one touch of his… he was the shit!); so he chuckled and asked her, as his hands landed on her toned ass "Why's that?".

Her hands were roaming on his bare back, feeling every single muscle moving, and, no matter how loud her brain was yelling them to stop, they would keep having fun on the wonderland that was Noah's body. She almost missed his question but the part of her that was not leaded by her hormones (a very tiny part, that was) got it, so she was able to say in a semi-whimper "Our friends… Will be here soon… You still have to get a shower". She grasped his shoulders and gasped as she felt one of his hands moving into her panties, teasing her clit.

He loved seeing her vulnerable like that; he loved knowing that he made her like that and loved the sounds she did. He was sporting a tend of epic proportion and whispered hotly in her ear "Is Finn here?". She didn't answered. Her whole attention was focus on his hand and on the was she would have lose her mind if she wouldn't come in the next five minutes.

"Noah, please" she begged, tugging at his lobe with her teeth and sucking it a little. She knew that that always did the trick. He closed his eyes tightly but stilled his hand, moaning when he noticed that Rachel had started basically straddled his hand. He took his hand away from her completely and asked with urgency "Is Finn here?".

Rachel whined at the loss of the hand and said "Why do you care about Finn right now? I was so close to…", attaching herself at his neck while her hands were tugging at the end of his mohawk. "Babe…" he pleaded her so she said against his neck "He's out. He's with Marley".

That was all he needed to know. He slanted his lips on hers and got up, keeping her in his arms. She barely noticed they were moving. Actually, she didn't notice that at all! She just found herself seating on the bathtub's edge with Noah taking off her dress and his pants and turning on the how spray of the shower.

She started to kiss his neck again (today, she really wanted to left a hickey on him… She felt inspired; even if she could never top the star-shaped one he gave her once) and pumped his already hard member teasingly. He groaned at the sensation and pushed her under the hot spray, kissing her ferociously while playing with her hard nipples.

She was the hottest thing he had ever seen in his fucking life. Water was cascading flawlessly down her tan body, in the valley between her boobs just to dive from her bellybutton and ending down her long perfect legs.

He was the most beautiful and perfect man she had ever seen. As the water made its way down his neck, she couldn't help but watch the small trails of water moving quickly on his pecs, on his abs and on the perfect and sexy V that lead to the promised land.

Watching him and feeling him on her just reminded her how much Rachel needed her boyfriend inside of her. She stated, as his mouth found his way to her right nipple "Honey, I needed you inside me like ten minues ago. Please, Noah, don't tease me…". He grunted and picked her up before easily sliding her down his length and starting to pounding into her; he started at a dangerously slow pace until his movements were quickly and incoherent: his only goal was leading her into her climax. And in fact, minutes later, she was screaming his name with her eyes closed and muscles were clenching around him, driving into his climax as well.

They didn't know just how much time did they spend into each other's arms, just pecking and whispering sweet words, but they definitely knew it was a while because the water was turning colder. They smiled at each other and started to shower for real. He soaped her body while she had fun putting shampoo on his mohawk and see if she could model it into different shapes (she secretively loved his haircut. It was so… him and he was adorable and hot at the same time with it. No matter how many times she would say that the mohawk was ridiculous: she loved it), laughing at the silliness of the other for the rest of the time.

Ten minutes later, they were finally out of the shower (not entirely their decision. They were kinda force to get out of there because the water turned into ice cold) and, wrapped in fluffy towels, made their way to her room but, as they were in the middle of the hallway, Finn appeared in front of them and stopped in tracks.

"Well" the tall guy murmured "This was a vision I would have gladly done without". Rachel was twelve different shades of red while Puck was laughing out loud and told him between the laughter "Don't act so shocked, dude. You know we fuck! It's not breaking news. You do the same thing with Marley". At that, Rachel put her hands on her ears and started to yell "Lalalalalala! I don't want to hear! Lalalalalalalalalalala!" before disappearing in her room and closing the door behind her soundly.

Finn shook his head with his eyes closed and said "Man, I don't even know how the hell the two of you fell in love. You're, like, completely different". Puck laughed even more but then he replied "We're like bread and jam. I'm a little squared and go… Well, used to go, with everything while Rach is sweet, soft and flexible. We're completely different but together we kick some serious asses".

Rachel's brother laughed at the comparison and simply informed him that the other guys would be there in 20 minutes and to let Rachel know that. When he entered the bedroom, she was already wearing a pair of jeans with the T-shirt she stole from his mother's house, his ex-football uniform shirt. Let's just say that the sight of 'Puckerman' written on her back brought up… well, you know what that brought up!

She smiled sweetly at him and asked "Can I choose the type of jam I get to be?". He laughed out loud and, shaking his head, headed to the closet. He was about to pick up some clothes from the little pile he kept at her place when he felt her body pressed against his body and her arms around his waist.

After enjoying the sensation of her lips between his shoulder's blades, he put his hand on hers and she said "I know you hate it when I call you adorable but you really are. I love you, you big teddy bear".

He rolled his eyes and kept holding her even when she tried to move so she could go to the kitchen and prepare some sandwiches for the guys, making her frown slightly. He dragged her in front of him so that she was facing him, holding her close to his almost naked body. He passed one finger on the side of her face and said in a low voice "I'm like that only with you". She smiled fondly, losing herself in his beautiful hazel eyes, as she whispered "I know".

His thumb brushed against her check as he softly say "So, if any of the others ever find it out, I'm going to deny you my awesome body for a long-ass time". Rachel laughed out loud until tears came out of her eyes. When she calmed down, she looked at him in the eyes and, with a very Puckerman-esque smirk, said "Please, Noah. I know you can't resist me", exiting the room swaying her hips and gathering her hair on one side so that he could read his surname on her.

Let's just say that the growl that came from him was enough for her to know that she was absolutely right: he couldn't resist her at all.

* * *

Almost all the guys were seated in Finn and Rachel's living room, waiting for Blaine and joking like old friends do. Rachel ran at the door when the doorbell rang and let a very tired Santana in. She barely slept the night before because of the guy's fun trip at the precinct and then she had to be at the law firm, where they asked to stay a little bit longer for some paperwork.

The Latina entered and made a straight line to the couch, where Finn made place for her. She took her high heels off and wiggled her toes a little, closing her eyes and pinching her nose. She looked as exhausted as she was.

Rachel came in the room with a fuming cup in her hand and sat on the arm of the sofa, smiling apologetically and kindly telling her "Tana, drink this. You'll feel better. I even put a little bit of cinnamon and cream in it… Your favourite". Santana opened one eye and grinned, happily accepting the cup. "You're the shit, B. Thank you. I'm kinda beat".

Rachel squeezed gently her arm and replied "I know. And this is why, after you talk with the guys, you're going straight to my room and sleep. Your change of clothes are already on the bed and I'm going to call Britt so she'll know that you're staying here. I'm not accepting 'no' as answer so you just have to go with it!".

Santana chuckled before saying "Seriously, right now, I don't even have the strength to fight you with this and I'm really fucking tired so your bed seems like heaven. I'm not going to pass it up". Rachel patted the top of the Latina's head and exclaimed "Good girl!". The petite brunette looked at her best friend as she sipped slowly at her cup and then asked "Are you hungry? I'm sure I could fix you something in no time" but Santana laughed amused and patted her tight, assuring her "No, B. I'm not that hungry. I'm just fucking tired and can't wait to sleep a bit. I feel like I could sleep for at least three days".

After Rachel kissed the other's forehead and whispered "Thank you again, Tana", she turned to see Blaine coming in the living room. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek before walking to Puck and snuggling against his body, sighing contently when he kissed her temple while caressing her side tenderly.

The brown-eyed woman decided that it was time to tell the others the news about the club and Schue (and let Santana finally go to sleep. Poor thing was absolutely exhausted and Rachel felt guilty for that) so she raised her voice enough to get the other's attention and started by saying "Okay, gentlemen. It's time to tell you why we asked you to come over this afternoon. You see, it's a very delicate topic and I don't know how to tell you this because I'm sure it will put you into a very confused state of mind and it will probably cause you inner turmoil, which is something I would never want you to go through…".

Puck rolled his eyes at his girlfriend's lack of synthesis so he took the matters in his own hands and simply explained "The police arrested Schue and Jewfro because they used to meet at the club with some sort of mob men so we basically don't have a job anymore. I don't know what will happen to the club but I think it will be closed down. Yesterday, while we were at the party working, they arrested us too and turns out that Beiste was a officer undercover who was sent to investigate on us and on the club".

Sam's, Blaine's and Artie's mouths were hanging open at this point and Rachel hit his chest, hissing "God, Noah, you're like a bull in a china shop! What's wrong with you?!". Puck looked at her right in the eyes as he simply stated "Babe, they're simple men, you have to keep it simple for them to understand! I'm almost sure that Trouty Mouth and Anderson don't even know what 'turmoil' means", before looking back at his shocked friends. After a couple of minutes, they saw Blaine frowned and glared at Noah, stating "Hey, I know what 'turmoil' means!".

Since that was the only thing that came out from the three men, Rachel turned towards Santana and asked her "Tana, have you got any type of information about the progression of the case? Did they keep you informed over the investigations?".

The Latina sighed deeply before starting "I talked earlier with the captain and I know that they had put police tape at the doors so the club is off limits since they did some inspections and found out some blocks of coke in the dressing room and around the club. Of course, the captain tried to come back with the crap of you guys being involved and, of course, I called bullshit, telling him that he could call any of you in for another deposition only if he would have found your fingerprints on the blocks. Otherwise, I'll kick his ass until you can read on it "Leave 'em alone". Trouty Mouth, Abrams and Warbler, I named myself your lawyer as well so you don't have to worry about a damn thing. About Schuester and the creep, they're in jail since the police have evidences that linked them to the Lancini family and the drug cartel and they will stay there until the trial".

Noah was still pretty shocked that Santana was a lawyer but then Finn's words from the night before appeared in his brain so he frowned a little and asked her "Wait a minute, Lopez. You're not an actual lawyer as right now. So how can you be our lawyer?", looking at her until she replied with a tired voice "I'm going to get my degree in a couple of months so it's not like I don't know what I'm doing, you asshat. I'm an apprentice at the firm and my supervisor told me that it's possible to follow you by myself in the early stages of this mess. If your asses should be dragged further in this sea of shit, you'll be follow by him for free so he could fill his pro-bono quote for the year".

Santana yawned soundly as Rachel looked at the guys and asked "Do you have any other questions for Santana?". When the guys shook their heads, the petite brunette gently smiled at her best friend and told her "Tana, you can go to sleep. Tomorrow morning I have to be at the theatre at 8 so, if you have to wake up earlier or later, remember to set your own alarm. Sweet dreams, Tana". "G'Night Rach. See ya later, fuckers" said Santana before getting up and paddling her way to Rachel's room.

Artie, Blaine and Sam were still shocked and the other four people in the room could only watch them as the words sunk in.

"What am I going to do now? Sure, it wasn't an ideal job but it allowed me to have enough time and money to follow my dreams and passions" Blaine finally stated with a sad tone, making Mike, Sam and Finn nod as well while Artie was lost in his thoughts, biting his bottom lip absentmindedly. The woman in the room couldn't help but frown: how happened that all these men were so unhappy about their job but were so desperate right now about losing it?

So, she told them "I don't see how not having this job precludes you from achieving your dreams. And how could the three of you agree with that statement? On the contrary, this will help you focus so much more on them. Mike, you could finally be a part of Brittany's company full-time and help her doing choreographies, earning some money on your own. Blaine, you could start to audition as soon as you want to, without being tired from the night before and not working at the club will greatly help your singing skills since we all know that the lack of proper sleep is very dangerous for vocal cords. Artie, you know you would have left the job anyway in a couple of weeks because you and Mercedes are moving to California and not working could give you more time to organise the last things for the moving. Sam and Finn, you can focus more on your musical career with Noah. Mr. Harris already said that he's willing to pay you too and, like Noah told me earlier, you could move to the Friday slot, which means a bigger crowd and more opportunities to meet someone who believes in your musical project. Seriously, the only one who seems happy right now is Noah!".

Mike looked at his friend and, cautiously, tried to reply "Rachel, everything you said sounds awesome but we need money to live and I don't think that the possibility you just told us will makes us earn enough to support our current way of life".

Rachel closed her eyes and sighed before speaking again "Guys, I don't want to take it too far or cross some sort of line since I don't know how you managed your incomes up until now, but you all worked at the club for at least 4 years so that means that you all have a quite large and comfortable net for the rainy days. Well, those days have arrived and this is your chance to do something that you're really passionate on. Maybe you can't spend as many money as before but I think that the gratification and the satisfaction that will come from what you decide to do will make it all worth it. And, if you didn't save any money for these days? We'll help you. You're like family to me and I believe in you and in your ambition. We'll find a way through it".

The petite brunette shoot her friends a smile and then asked "At least can you promise me that you will think about what I just said?". The other men all nodded and got up to hug her before heading to the door. They had a lot to think about and they needed to talk about all that with their significant others too.

Noah stayed a little bit longer, playing at COD and cursing at Finn, who just laughed it off and kept playing. Rachel sat next to him, her head on his tight and her legs hanging lazily from the arm of the sofa (tuning out the atrocious shenanigans thanks to her iPod and the 'Wicked' Soundtrack). They stayed like this until it was time for dinner which she fixed quickly for the three of them and also prepared something for Santana so, if later that night she got hungry (and, knowing the Latina, she would), she would have something decent to eat.

When it was time for Noah to go to his place, the couple spent at least 20 minutes on the door, whispering their goodbyes and sharing soft sweet kisses. It was the first time in two weeks that Puck and Rachel would spend divided and it wasn't very easy for them. Prove was a text that she received later that night from him:

**From: Noah "Fuck, B… Since when my bed is so fucking huge?! Like srsly, not having ur hot bod next 2 me rlly put things into prospective… Didn't realised u were fat ;D"**

Rachel rolled her eyes reading at it and settled herself in her bed so that the light from her phone wouldn't disturb her best friend (even if she was dead to the world in that moment) before answering him.

**To: Noah "If that was a way for telling me that you miss sleeping next to me, it failed miserably. If you deem me that large, next time you can go sleep with Sam or Finn so I'll have all the mattress for myself. And, please, stop writing as if you don't know how to spell words; you're better than that. P.S.: I miss you too, you big dumb-dumb P.P.S.: I'll see you tomorrow P.P.P.S.: I love you".**

She fell asleep with a content smile on her face after she read his reply.

**From: Noah "Good lord, woman. Just received 5 fucking texts! U have 2 start talk/write like a norm gal. And like hell I'll sleep w/ those 2: prefer feeling ur tight hot ass all against me. Sweet dreams. I LOVE YOU TOO (happy?)".**

* * *

It was one of the first days of June and the whole gang was at Artie and Mercedes' place: today would be their last day in New York.

That afternoon they would move out of their place and take off for Silicon Valley. They already took out a mortage in a cute two story house in the suburbs of San Josè and Artie already talked with several firms' managers who were interested in working with him and in developing his projects so the future for the soon-to-be Abrams family seemed quite bright ahead.

After Artie left Rachel and Finn's place that afternoon, he immediately went to Mercedes and told her that they could move right after her graduation and finally getting married so they decided that the wedding would take place in late August. Thank God, the majority of the wedding organisation was already planned perfectly and taken care of (since he proposed a year prior but they both decided to wait until they could move to the West Coast) so they just had to take care of minor things.

They were the happiest people in the whole world for that. The only thing that saddened them was that they had to leave their friends here. They knew that they were just a phone call away but it wouldn't be the same as see them in flesh at least once a day.

However, everyone was helping them out: the girls putting into boxes the last things and the boys carrying boxes upon boxes in the U-Haul that Artie rented. Well, not exactly everyone: Kurt stopped putting sweaters away after stating that his eyes couldn't take anymore bright-coloured zebra print hoodies and threatening to throw them all away and burn them while Santana was just laughing her ass off at his reactions and disgusted squeaks. Brittany was drawing fat cats in every single box, focusing so much that the tip of her tongue was sticking out her mouth.

The guys were hanging in the kitchen, joking around while the girls were packing. Artie entered in the living room, where the girls were, and asked them "So, are you done? Can we load these boxes and leave? You're taking forever just to pack a couple of things". Mercedes glared at her fiancée and told him with a finger in the air "Oh, hell to the no, white boy. You're not bitching at me and my girls because we're still putting away stuff, which is yours too, all by ourselves while you big boys just hang there, drinking beer and doing absolutely anything!".

Artie chuckled a little and went next to his fiancée, hugging her from behind and pecking on shoulder. "Sorry, 'Cedes. You're right. Are there any boxes that we can already load in the truck?" he told her gently, grinning when he saw Mercedes blushing and smiling coyly at his touch.

The room was silent until a voice fake-coughed the word "Whipped!". "Noah!" Rachel chastised him while the others started to laugh out loud. Artie shook his head amused and rebutted "Like you're the one who can talk, Puck!" but the other frowned a little and replied childishly "Am not!", making Santana scoff and say "Please Puckerman, probably the whole east coast knows that Rachel has you wrapped around that tiny midget pinkie finger of hers!".

The outrageous cry from Rachel "Hey! I'm not a midget!" didn't stop the Latina from saying "For crying out loud, Puck, she made you buy her tampons and you don't think you're whipped?!". Noah's mouth fell open and his eyes were big as saucers while all their friends started to laugh again.

"Babe!" he whined "Why did you tell Satan about that?! You know that she can't keep her mouth shut for shit!". Rachel was giggling as she replied "Noah, it's not a big bad secret that should be kept private at all costs. I buy you things all the times". Noah glared at her and told her "But never tampons!", making the brown-eyed woman say back "If you want, I can buy you tampons too so we're even".

The room exploded in an even louder laughter before Noah stomped away in the kitchen, immediately followed by Rachel. He put his hands on the kitchen counter and closed his eyes as he felt those tiny hands he loved so much slide around his waist.

"That was fucking embarrassing, Rach" he mumbled, sighing when he felt her pecking the space between his shoulders' blades. "Would you turn around, please?" she asked gently and lessened her hold on him as he turned and glared at her. She went closer to him, leaning against his chest, and, with her chin on him and her head tilted up, she stated "There's nothing embarrassing in you buying your girlfriend feminine products. And don't start again with all that nonsense that you have to keep your badass façade because those people in the living room know you for who you are and there's no need to pretend with them".

He rolled his eyes and whined a little bit more "B, you don't understand! Dudes are not supposed to buy that crap to their girls but, most of all, if they do, no one has to find it out. Like, fucking never! And I'm not whipped".

He almost pouted as he finished talking. He was adorable. He was like a big baby boy and Rachel really had to fight the urge of showering his face with kisses.

So, she just smiled, rose on her tip toes and whispered against his lips "If it's any consolation to you, I'm wrapped around your finger too".

He finally broke into a smile and dove in the kiss, feeling still goosebumps on his arms as she languidly passed her tongue on the roof of his mouth. They kissed until Brittany came in and, with a big bright smile, said "Puckleberry, it's time to start loading the van so you have to stop kissing, even if you look very hot while doing it". The couple chuckled as they separated themselves from the other and went in the other room.

It was full of brown boxes and the guys listened how Mercedes wanted them to be loaded and which ones should be put in the van first (Guess who wore the pants in that relationship?), starting to carrying the boxes once the got it all. It was girls' time to finally relax while sipping at their beers or soda and enjoying the view. All the guys had an amazing bodies but seeing them lifting boxes and showing off all those perfect contacted muscles were a really turn on. Rachel was sure that she licked her lips more than a couple of times looking at Noah's lovely arms (and she was also more than certain that he noticed that, since he was really showing off his 'guns' more that the movements required) and so did the others (she even saw Brittany a little bit flushed for all the testosterone that the guys were radiating).

In no time, the group was out, on the street, hugging their friends goodbye and telling them to drive safely. Tears were shed especially from Rachel and Kurt, who, admittedly, were the closer with the black beauty. When Rachel left Mercedes' side, wiping away a couple of tears, Puck's arm immediately circled her and dragged her next to him, kissing her head affectionately while she leaned gently on his large frame.

"God, you suck for making me cry!" chuckled sadly the curvy woman, wiping away tears from her own cheeks as well "It's not like we're not going to never see each other. Hell, you're going to be our bridal party! By the way, girls, the saleswoman called me yesterday and told me that your dresses are going to be ready in two weeks so remember to go and pick them up". All the girls nodded with smiles. The couple decided that the girls would be her bridesmaids while the boys his groomsmen (the maid of honour's and best man's spots were already taken by Mercedes' sister and Artie's childhood friend, respectively).

"Well guys, guess it's time for us to go. Thank you so much for your help and… we'll see you soon" said Artie, his voice a little bit broken as well even if you could see that he couldn't wait to start his new life with Mercedes.

Puck nodded to him and told them "Don't be strangers, okay?", making the couple chuckle and nod in response. As they were getting in the truck, Rachel yelled "Drive safely and call us when you'll arrive. Don't make us worry!", which made the others laugh out loud. "Okay, mom! We will!" Artie answered before winking at her and disappear in the cabin of the van.

The small group watched the rented truck leave and laughed when they heard it honk a couple of times happily, turning right and out of sight.

The little group of friends stayed there a couple of seconds, still fixing the point when the vehicle disappeared before slowly starting to walk down the sidewalk, heading for their usual bar. The first round would definitely be in honour of Artie and Mercedes and of the beginning of their life together in Cali.

* * *

**That's it for chapter 20! What do you guys think of it? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Let me know by reviewing it! :)**

**See you soon, dearies!**


	21. Best Birthday Ever

**Hello dearies!:)**

**It was tough but finally I manage to post another update! I had a spanish literature exam this week so I had my hands a little bit full with that. But first, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEP SHOWING ME YOUR SUPPORT! You are amazing and every time I see a new review, I just can't stop smiling. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I will never say it enough!**

**It's Puck's birthday!;) (fun fact: me and Mark Salling share the birthday... talking about a couple of good-looking people LOOL! August 17th rocks!) Hope you'll like it!**

* * *

Time flew by in New York where everyone was focused in finding their own way and, in a blink of an eye, it was already the middle of August.

Mike, thanks to Brittany, discovered the joy of teaching hip hop to children while being an active member of Brittany's crew and helping her creating the various routines. He divided his time between dance studios (the one where he worked regularly and the one where he rehearsed with the group), his friends and Tina, who decided to trust him and gave all her heart to him (and not just her body). They were a really adorable couple!

Blaine decided to throw himself in the whirlwind that were theatre auditions: he hired an agent that could help him and pointing out all those audition where the curly-haired man could have a real shot. The research was exhausting and, up until that moment, a little bit pointless but Blaine was a very positive person and was more that sure that his big break will soon arrive. To kill time between audition, he found a job in the adorable, little bookshop in front of the petite man's apartment.

Finn found himself a job in a firm as the post guy and all-around assistant, strolling from office to office, delivering the mail and helping out when needed. It wasn't very satisfying but, at least, the pay wasn't that bad and the people were really nice and kind to him. But, most importantly, it had defined working hours that left him free to keep playing with Puck and Sam.

The threesome still played at the club and Joel gladly put the group in the Friday night's slot. Noah was right: it really gave them much more visibility and a wider audience, which grew wider and wider as the weeks went by. Sure, no one from any music label contacted them or seemed interested in their band yet but they were having the time of their life on the stage and that was the only thing that mattered for now. Moreover, it gave them the possibility to met other musicians that helped them a lot, giving them every kind of advice or help. Rachel was really happy to see how supportive the musical community was.

Sam got hired at Emma's diner, where Quinn was still working, as a cook since the diner was doing great and needed more help to provide food to the new wave of clients ("Holy shit. They're doomed. If he don't set fire to the kitchen then, sure as hell, he's going to food-poison everyone. We're not going there anymore, babe" was Puck's reaction when he found it out). However, he was doing a great job. Well… if you don't count the time when he spill a pot of meat sauce on the floor, causing Emma a mental breakdown. Or the time when he cut his finger while cutting vegetables and the blood accidentally went on Emma's dress, causing another mental breakdown. Or the time when… Okay, he still wasn't very skilled but he was learning. He was very lucky that Millie, the other cook, was a very patient kind woman and was more than happy to teach him everything he needed to survive in the kitchen.

Thanks to the pursuit of a musical career, Puck ended up working in a music shop owned by one of the musicians who helped the threesome the most. The guy was around is fifties and, when he was younger, he was one of the most requested guitarist in the city. He even played for some pretty famous singers but, unfortunately, gambling destroyed his career and his personal life. Only with professional help and the support of his family, he managed to get back in the saddle and start anew, opening the shop.

Puck loved working there. He was surrounded by guitars (which were his second favourite things ever… In the first place there were girls – and, with girls, he meant Rachel) and any other type of musical instrument all day long and the owner even let the band use the sound-proofed room for practise. It was a sweet fucking deal if you asked Puck.

So, with all these adjustments, time really flew by and, without realising it, it was already the middle of August and Puck's birthday was only a couple of days ahead.

On Wednesday evening, Rachel arrived at Noah and Sam's place and dragged her feet until she could finally let herself fall on the free armchair. With her eyes closed, she tipped off her shoes and groaned when she wiggled her tip toes, hearing them crack lowly at the movement.

The guys were playing Super Mario Kart when the woman entered and immediately paused the game when they noticed that she didn't come in twitting at them as usual. Noh asked her worriedly "Babe, everything's alright?" but her response didn't actually calm him since she whimpered a tentative "Yes, Noah, I'm fine".

Sam smiled tightly at her, feeling sorry for his best friend's girlfriend while Noah got up and went out of sight. He came back a couple of minutes later and he crawled the brunette woman in his arms.

He entered in the bathroom and locked the door behind them. She opened one eye and asked him "Noah, what are we doing in the bathroom?". He put her down and started to undress her as he told her "We're taking a bath". She groaned a little and replied sweetly "Honey, you know how much I love making love to you but, right now, I'm very tired and I don't think I'll managed to…", which made him chuckle and say "We're just going to take a bubble bath so your muscles won't be that sore after that. No funny business, I promise".

Her head snapped to the bath full of water and soft whit foam; she didn't even notice that he prepared all that! She looked at him with misty eyes and, smiling, she asked "Do you know that I love you very much and that you're the best boyfriend ever?". He laughed out loud but reply nonetheless "Yep and yep. But keep repeating that, I'm not complaining. Now hop in the tub, babe".

She entered in it as he undressed himself, open the window (she only took hot baths so, with the hot New York summer weather, the only way for him to survive was opening the window wide open!) and followed her right after, positioning himself so they were facing one another.

Underwater, his hands found one of her feet and his callous fingers started to pressing the centre of it, massaging it slowly. He smirked when he heard her growl lowly and saw her tilting her head back, against the tile-covered wall. "Noah, you have no idea how much I need it. Today rehearsal was hell. We rehearsed the group scenes at least seventy times just because the producer was there and Mr. Cole wanted everything to be perfect. And I don't know what was wrong with Matthew today but he really couldn't get "A little fall of rain" right and we had to do it times and times again. My throat is so sore. Before going to sleep I'm so having a tank of lemon tea and honey. Seriously, I'm all for being perfect and rehears until everything is absolutely flawless but I think that today they took it a little too far. However, it's okay because when, in a month, the curtain will open and I will sing in front of an audience, I will be perfect. Perfect" Rachel said with an exhausted voice.

Puck simply hummed as he focused his attentions on the other feet, making her moan and murmured "God, honey. You're so good". At that, he laughed out loud and stated "Yeah, you say it almost everyday. Sure, usually you say it when I'm buried inside you and I…" but stopped when she kicked him right in the chest and hissed "Shut up, you pig!".

He chuckled and silence settled among them for a while until she asked him "How was your day?". He shrugged and told her "The usual. Sold a couple of Fender to some rich douchebags who probably don't even know how to use them properly but it's all good. Jack and the guys told me to thank you for the cookies".

"I'm glad they liked them" she smiled tiredly, her eyes close and her arms leaned on the bathtub's edges. Then, she continued "So, what does the birthday boy want to do Saturday?". He stared at her dumbfounded and asked her "How the hell do you know that Saturday is my birthday?!" but she simply replied "Noah, we're together since January. Seven months. Do you really think I would go that far without knowing your birthday's day? Moreover, I have my informers". He pouted a bit and rebutted "So why do I not know when your birthday is?". He didn't even finished his question that she was already answering "Because you never asked". "Well… Then I'm asking!" he told her, making her laugh a bit and say "December 18th".

He closed his eyes and cursed in his head before saying "Shit, babe! You could have told me! Now I look like a douche!" but, instead of agreeing with him, she simply dunked her hand in the hot water and caressed gently his shin, whispering "You don't look like a douche, honey. Believe me, it's not a big deal. With my parents not here and me busy organising the Christmukkah's dinner, I barely celebrated it. I only went to lunch with Finn and Santana and that's it. Believe me, you don't have to worry".

"I still feel like shit" he mumbled "I could have brought you something, at least". Rachel rolled her eyes under her eyelids and replied "Stop it, Noah. Really. You don't have to worry. It's fine. But I asked you what you want for your birthday, so answer me". His hands slid on her calves and worked on her tired muscles as he said in a low tone "You".

"You already have me" she stated, opening her eyes and smiling lovingly at him, but she tilted her head back and growled in frustration when he replied "I want you naked for 24 hours straight. Like my personal sex slave. The only thing you're allowed to wear are that skimpy Victoria's Secret lingerie set you brought two days ago". "God, Noah. You sound like your sex-deprived when it's the complete opposite" she whined, making him laugh and reply "It's not my fault that my girl is sexy as hell and I think that the best place on earth is between your tights".

The petite brunette sat up straight and leaned forward so she could slap him in the chest. He laughed out loud and grabbed her wrist, dragging her gently so she could settle against his chest and between his legs while water spilled out of the tub.

"You're deplorable" she murmured as she nuzzled her nose against his chest and rested her cheek on it. He kissed her head and his hand went on the back of her neck, squeezing it lightly, before he whispered against her hair "And still you love me". "That I do" she said back "But I'd like to think that you corrupted me with your charm and your good looks", caressing his side lazily. "Yeah, 'cause you're so easily corruptible, aren't ya?" he chuckled, receiving a quit him in response.

Her breath started to even out and she fell asleep there, his heartbeat in her ear and his touch easing the ache. She was woken up a bit later by Puck's voice. The water was lukewarm, almost cold, and, instead of bubbles, a faint layer of soap was floating over the water.

"Sleepyhead, it's time to get out" he said but she didn't move; she just told him sleepily "I have to wash my hair". He tried to get out of the tub but Rachel was holding him in place; he looked at her and, with a smile, trailed "Rach…". She pouted a bit as she said "Stay here. I like here with you. You're comfortable. You can wash my hair". He cup her chin with his hand and uttered "Babe, listen to me. While you wash your hair, I'll cook you dinner, 'cause I won't let you starve, and then we'll cuddle in my bed and you can you my perfect body as pillow again. If I wash your hair, it's gonna take longer and you'll probably fall asleep before eating something".

"I love when you talk all sweet and caring to me" she smiled tiredly and finally let him go.

She really won the boyfriends' jackpot.

* * *

It was 7.30 in the morning and Rachel was already wide awake, laying on her boyfriend's bed; his arm around her and his hand on her boob. She could feel his warm breath on her neck and soft snores filled the room. Her eyes couldn't leave his digital clock on the nightstand: in two hours an a half, her "perfect Noah's birthday project" will start and she was really excited! She put a lot of effort in organising everything and she really hoped he would like it all.

She was quivering in excitement as she watched the minutes pass so very slowly. She couldn't even wake him up (because she wanted to let him sleep in a bit) or go make breakfast or go clean the house (because she didn't want him to wake up alone in the bed on his birthday) so she tried to close her eyes again, feeling her heart beating quickly.

After a while, she felt herself being dragged closer to her body and his nose nuzzle against his neck as he said very tiredly "Babe, calm down and go back to sleep". Rachel checked again the alarm: 8 a.m. She turned so she could face him and she kissed him sweetly, whispering against his lips "Happy birthday, Noah". He grinned with his eyes still closed and hummed before saying "Thanks, B. Now go back to sleep".

She giggled but replied "You go, honey. I'll go make you breakfast. I've already planned out the perfect day. I can't wait, Noah. I'm so excited!". Noah whined when she moved away from him, mumbling "I'm the birthday boy. You should do what I want and I want you here with me. You can think about breakfast around 3 p.m. if I have my way with you" but the petite woman rebutted quickly "No, honey, because the courier will arrive around 10 with one of your surprise and you have to be already out of bed so we can start our day. But, for now, you can sleep a little bit longer. I'll wake you up later".

She leaned to give him another kiss but he was able to hold her and push her down on his chest, his arms around her. "Noah…" she admonished but Puck didn't let go of her and asked her with a lazy smirk "Does the surprise have something to do with the thousand sandwiches you made last night?". The brown-eyed girl frowned and stated "They're not a thousand, drama queen. And… You have to wait to find it out. So, let go of me, you Neanderthal. I have final birthday plans to arrange".

"No" he pouted and rub his hard member against her tight, saying "Now he's awake too and we want you". Rachel nuzzled her nose in the shell of his ear and chuckled a bit but, right after, she told him with a sultry voice "Noah, we really don't have time as right now but believe me when I say that I'm going to take very good care of you and your needs as soon as we are all alone. Okay?". He reluctantly let her go, growling and mumbling "Fuck". The last thing she saw before closing the door was his hand sliding inside his pants.

After a couple of hours, he was still in his pyjama and was watching the TV absentmindedly, zapping through several network without finding anything interesting while Rachel was getting ready in his bedroom.

When the doorbell rang, Rachel's voice thrilled from the other room "Honey, can you open the door? I'm still not ready!". He rolled his eyes but got up and went for the door; he definitely didn't expect what was waiting for him on the other side.

"Surprise!" Beth, Frank and Denise hollered excitedly in the hallway of the building. "Happy Birthday, uncle Puck" yelled Beth, jumping on Noah while he was standing with his eyes and mouth wide open. He was shocked and he couldn't even utter a word. Frank stage-whispered "I think we broke him", that was met by Denise's nod and a loud laugh from behind Noah.

Rachel was assisting at the scene from the apartment's hallway with a big smile on her face. She took a couple of steps and hugged Beth's parents, exchanging pleasantries, while Beth was studying Noah's face and asked him worriedly "Aren't you happy to see us?".

That seemed to snap Puck's attention back so he replied "Are you out of your mind, bee? Of course I'm happy to see you! I'm just… Really surprised". Beth nodded happily; her hazel eyes shone in excitement as she informed him "Rachel told us not to say anything to you! I'm so happy that we can spend the weekend together! We're going to have so much fun". Noah looked at the girl's parents and asked "You guys are staying for the weekend? In which hotel?" but, instead of Denise or Frank, Rachel answered "Here. This is the reason why Sam is going to stay with Quinn for the weekend".

Noah looked right in her eyes, grinning broadly at her. It was already the best birthday ever: even if he always dreamed of spending his birthday with the little girl, he never asked Frank and Denise for it because he was afraid that they would deny it to him since he wasn't a member of the family. Guess it was a stupid fear, after all.

He smirked and said "And here I was thinking that he left so we could…" but Denise scolded him by saying "You're not going to continue that sentence, Noah Puckerman!", which made Puck and Frank laugh out loud. When he calmed down a little, he continued "I was going to say that he left so that me and Rach could cuddle on the sofa and watch movies but it's nice to know where your mind is!", making Denise turn crimson red and Frank laugh even more.

Rachel slapped his arm and told him sternly "Stop making our guests uncomfortable!". Then, the woman caressed Beth's hair affectionately and asked her "Well? Don't I deserve a hug too?". The young girl beamed at her and her arms slid from their previous position around Noah's neck and went around Rachel's. The man eased the girl into Rachel's embrace and hugger her foster parents.

When Rachel and Beth broke the embrace, the young woman said excitedly "Come on, follow me! I'll show you your room. Sam freed for you a drawer and I already set your bed and a camp bed so you should be okay but, if you need anything else, tell me and I will be more than happy to help you. Noah, go change while I'll show them around the house so we can go and get this birthday started! I already picked the most appropriate clothes for the day and I put them on the bed".

Noah laughed and saluted her, telling her "Yes, captain". He waited for the foursome to disappear in Sam's room before going in his room and frowning when he saw the item that resting on the top of the pile. "Ehm… Rach? Can you come here?" he said loud enough for his girlfriend to hear him in the other room and stood here, arm crossed in front of his chest, until he heard Rachel getting in the room. "What's wrong, honey?" she asked worriedly as she hugged him from behind and listen carefully when Puck asked her "Babe, why on heart do I have to wear my swimming trunks?", laughing at the confused tone in his voice.

She sat down on the bed and looked at him with a bright smile on her face "Because we're going to Brighton beach today! Denise and Frank already have the beach umbrella in their car and Beth is super bumped about it. I already put the sandwiches and some beverages in the cooler so we're not going to starve". She got up and pecked his lips before chirping "Get dressed, pretty boy, so we can go and have some fun! You're going to love today!".

Before she was able to go away, Noah held her tight against his body and cupped her chin in his hand, looking right in her eyes and saying "I already love it. Thank you so much for inviting them. You're amazing and…". His voice quivered a bit and he had to wait a bit and clear his throat before continuing "Just… Thank you. I love you". Rachel, with glassy eyes, caressed his face softly and slowly as she replied "I love you too, Noah. So much". The two shared a kiss that expressed all the tenderness and love that they felt for one another and kept kissing until Rachel broke it and said "Come on, Noah. Get ready; we're going to wait for you in the living room", packing his lips one last time and disappearing behind the door.

* * *

"Noah, wait! You forgot to put the sunscreen on!" Rachel yelled at her boyfriend who was walking towards the ocean with a bouncing Beth next to him. He rolled his eyes (which made Beth snicker) and turned to say to her "Don't worry, ma! I'll be fine!". Rachel put her arms akimbo and stomped her foot on the sand, saying "You come back here right now, Noah Puckerman, or so help me God…".

Denise and Frank was laughing out loud from their position on some beach chairs and Frank told him "Yeah, Puck. You'd better listen to her or I sense that she'll cut your "cuddle and movie" time for awhile". The brown-eyed woman smirked and stated "Listen to him, Noah. He's a future-teller", grinning when he huffed and mumbled to Beth "She's a party pooper. Don't know why you like her so much".

The couple arrived next to her; Puck with a big pout on his face that made the petite woman laugh out loud. She grabbed one of his hands and squeezed a little bit of solar protection formula on his palms so he could rub it on his chest before she walked around him and started to rub the sunscreen on his back and shoulders too.

While she kept massaging his back with the product, she told him "Stop pouting, baby boy! If you were just as good as Beth, who put the sunscreen right on, the two of you would be already playing in the water".

Frank and Denise couldn't stop laughing at the bickering between the two and they found particularly hilarious when Rachel, once finished with the back and with the remains of the protection formula, started to unceremoniously passing her hands on Puck's face while he kept rumbling like a kettle .

"Guys, I can't wait to see you with your kids" said Frank while wiping away some tears from his eyes. The little family didn't notice as the heads of the young couple snapped at him at the mention of future children: they had never talked about children, THEIR future children at least, but, when Frank said that, a warm sensation filled them and a small smile appeared on their face. Rachel was the first to talk, turning to Frank and giving her back to Noah "Well, let's just hope they will act like me then. I already have a Puckerman baby to deal with and he's more than enough". Puck looked down at her and smiled fondly, hugging her from behind and pecking her neck before saying "Like hell, babe. They're gonna be just like their pops!".

Then, he bolted towards the ocean and yelled "Last one in the water is a smelly fart!", immediately followed by Beth who cried out loud "Ehi! It's not fair! You didn't count to three!". Rachel shook her head and muttered "Good God, please, don't let them be like him" loud enough that the other two grown-ups heard that and were thrown in another fit of laughter.

Beth and Puck came back almost an hour later, soaked wet and hungry like wolves. After eating the majority of the sandwiches Rachel made, Puck started to talk to Beth's parents about pretty much everything under the sun. They didn't even realise how much silent Rachel and Beth were. It wasn't until Noah asked to his girlfriend "Am I right or am I right, Rach?" and they didn't hear a reply that they turn to check on them.

They grinned at the vision of the two asleep on Rachel's beach towel, under the shadow of the beach umbrella. Beth was resting her head on Rachel's arm, which was wrapped securely around the girl's shoulder. Beth's arm was resting on the petite brunette's stomach and her thin leg was wrapped around the other's tanned one. Puck immediately went for his phone and took a few pictures of the two of them, setting the best one as background. He was a really lucky guy: his girls were fucking perfect.

"They look so cute together" Denise whispered next to him, smiling fondly and taking a picture with her camera, before putting a hand on the small of his back and ushering him to where they were previously seated. Once seated, Noah looked at Beth's parents and said "Thank you so much for being here. It… it really means a lot to me".

The two parents shared a small smile before Frank told him "Ehi, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have Beth now. We will be forever grateful for that and we'll always have your back. You're family and you stuck with us. And we are more than happy of being here! Beth was basically bouncing on the walls when she found out; it was worst than that time she ate the 10 pixie sticks and was on a sugar high for, at least, two hours and a half!".

The threesome chuckled and talked a little bit more, even if they use a lower tone of voice so they wouldn't wake up Rachel and Beth, until Puck said "Come on, Frank. Ready to get your ass handed to you at beach tennis? I'll go easy on you so you won't break your hip". Denise was trying to hold back her laughter, failing miserably, while the man was looking at the younger one with his mouth agape. He got up slowly while saying "My, my, my. Don't go crying to Rachel when I'll kick your young cocky ass", grabbing the racket that a laughing Puck was giving him and the two started to walk away, leaving Denise there, checking on the sleepy beauties while reading a book.

The afternoon passed quickly, filled with laughter and joy until the moment when their stomachs started to grumble. Rachel checked her phone and told the others "Okay, guess the best option for us is going at the diner of Mrs. and Mr. Williams and have something to eat. Is it okay for you?", looking around and grinning when the other nodded enthusiastically.

The small group collected their items and started to walk to the parking lot where they had left the car so they could drop a few things and walk to the diner. Rachel was unusually quiet so Puck turned to check on her and asked "Who're you texting to, babe?". She rose her head as if the question caught her off guard, blinked a couple of times and then, with a blinding smile, she answered "Finn. He wrote me to check on me and I was simply replying to his text".

He nodded but, leaning a bit so his face was close to hers, said in a hushed tone "Finnessa should stop fucking worrying about you when you're with me". "You're awful! And watch you mouth; there are innocent ears that may hear you!" she stated with a big scowl, which quickly disappeared when he put his arms around her and kissed her sweetly, sucking gently her bottom lip.

The only put an end of it when they heard a really familiar giggle dangerously next to them and a cute voice singing "Uncle Puck and Rachel sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G". Puck's eyes became large as saucers and pointed at her, saying "Don't you ever do what me and Rach were doing, okay bee? Or, at least, not until you're 45! It's gross and it gives you cooties!".

Rachel's was looking absolutely shocked but then, when his words sank in, she was uncertain if laughing (like Beth's parents were doing in that moment) or being highly offended by the fact that he just said that kissing her was gross. So she settled for a firm slap on his arm and a glare, making him shoot an apologetic smile at her.

The girl giggled and ran to her parents, leaning on her dad, while Denise laughed and passed her hand on the girl's hair affectionately while saying "Oh, Puck, I think you're a little late with your advice". The group started to walk in the sidewalk and Puck was dangerously silent as he thought about the woman's words; then, he screeched "The f…". Thank God that Rachel was ready to censor his reaction by slanting her hand over his mouth. Rachel looked at the girl, who was blushing and smiling slightly between her parents, and, with a mischievous tone, said "Really? That's a story I really need to hear!". Beth giggled and stated "I have a boyfriend".

The petite woman started to coo at the girl "Aww, Beth! That's so sweet! What's his name?" while Puck, who, in the meantime, managed to free his mouth from his girlfriend's hand, whined "What?! Bee, you're way to young to have a boyfriend! And you two let her go with that?!". Frank shook his head and replied "Don't look at me, dude. I tried to stop that but the girls wouldn't hear me out"; in fact, Denise stated "They are absolutely adorable together and he's a really nice boy".

"I believe they are!" Rachel chanted in a sweet tone, not tearing away her gaze from the girl and smiling brightly when Beth met her eyes. The girl blushed a little bit more when she said "His name is Dominic and he lives in our building. He's very nice and funny even if sometimes he's still annoying". Rachel was turning into a puddle from the cuteness of the girl's confession and tried to gather more information "So he kissed you? Or you kissed him? That's so cute!", making Noah grunt next to her and mumble "Babe, I don't really need to know that". She replied "Shush you", refocusing her attention on Beth, who told her "He kissed me. We were playing hide and seek in our yard and we were hiding in the same spot. He kissed me there and he told me that I'm really pretty".

The brown-eyed woman squealed in delight while Puck said again "You're too young to have a boyfriend" but Rachel shook her head and stated "Nonsense. I had my first boyfriend when I was 7! It's never too soon or too late for love!". The birthday man took his head in his hands and grumbled a little more, feeling the small arm of Rachel slide on his back and hugging him sideways.

When they arrived in front of the diner, he was still with his head in his hands and he heard Rachel asked the others "Can you guys go in and take a table. We will be right after". The ding of the door signalled that the family entered and the sweet voice of Rachel tried to calm him down "Honey? Honey? Would you look at me, please?".

He took a deep sigh and his arms fell down heavy on his sides while he whined a little more "I knew that this day would arrive. She's too perfect. What if this fucker tries something on her? I'm going to kill him". Rachel giggled as she slid her hands in his and replied "Would you calm down? Of course you knew this day would arrive but you're kind of exaggerating it all right now, even if it's very endearing seeing you being so protective towards her. However, you should not be such a drama queen, and this is coming from me! She's only nine, going for ten; the most daring thing they could do is kissing on the lips and walking hand in hand. So calm down because you're upsetting her and yourself and today is your birthday; you shouldn't be upset".

Puck frowned at what his girl said and asked "I am upsetting Beth?! How?", feeling like shit when Rachel told him "I saw how Beth was looking at your reaction and was a little bit saddened by it. I think she thinks you're mad at her. So, please, would you stop this charade and enjoy the rest of your birthday and of the weekend with them?".

He closed his eyes tight and rested his forehead on her shoulder, murmuring "God, I'm such an asshole" and chuckling a little when she answered "Yes, you are. You're just lucky that we love you nonetheless". He held her tight and the two stayed like that for a couple of minutes, until she said "So, are you ready to go in there?", passing her hand gently in his mohawk. He nodded and pecked her lips, grabbing her hand and entering in the diner.

He barely put a foot in the establishment that he was covered in confetti expelled from party-poppers. He looked around and he immediately saw Finn and Blaine with the exploded party-poppers and singing "Happy Birthday". Noah was too stunned to say anything so he just took a good look around: on his left, a big banter that said "Happy Birthday" and, under that, a long table with his friends under it: Brittany and Beth were next to each other, basically bouncing in rhythm with the song; Santana was sulking (because Brittany forced her to wear a birthday paper hat with bright balloons print on it) but was singing anyway; Sam, with an arm around Quinn, was singing and giving his best friend thumb-ups. Mike, Kurt, Tina and Marley, along with some of Noah's co-workers and Beth's parents, were clapping and singing happily. Even the regular costumers of the diner were singing along with them.

When the song ended, Mrs. Williams put a birthday paper hat (identical to the ones who everyone were wearing) on his head and squeezed his cheeks tightly, kissing them soundly and saying "Happy Birthday Puck! I was so happy when that precious girlfriend of yours called us to see if it was okay to reserve a table for your birthday dinner! It was years since that last time we celebrated your birthday together. About damn time, I say!". Puck laughed and hugged Loreen tight before hugging his friends as well, thanking them for being here.

The dinner went smoothly; the food was great as the company. Everyone fell in love with Beth (who was a lot happier once Noah told him that he wasn't angry at her): she was her usual adorable self and she had everyone wrapped around her finger by the end of the dinner. Only a few people knew she was Noah's biological daughter (those being Sam, Santana and Finn) because, since the little girl didn't know that the mohawked man was her real father, they were afraid that the others would let something slip about it. For them, Beth and her parents were just some old family's friends that were particularly close to Puck.

The dinner (well… the dinner and the several shenanigans that came after that – including opening his birthday's presents) was over by 10 p.m.. Beth was in Frank's arms, fast asleep with her head on his shoulder as the little group made their way to the parking lot with several bags with them after saying goodbye to their group of friends.

Once at home, the family wished to the young couple sweet dreams and retired in Sam's bedroom, leaving the couple relax a little in the living room. Rachel was lying on the couch, her head on Puck's tight and watching in low volume a late night talk show while he was looking at her.

"God, you're fucking perfect" he murmured very lowly but she heard that and smiled brightly, turning so she could see his face. "Thank you. Remember that the next time you say I'm crazy" she said playfully as he passed his hand on her face and on her hair and looked at her with a fond smile on his face.

After a couple of minutes of silence, she asked him "Did you like your birthday?", giggling when he told her "I fucking love today. Really, Rach. It was… No one ever done something like that for me". The petite woman sat up and moved so she was straddling his lap. His hands automatically went on her hips, steadying her, and frowned when he heard her utter "So you're not mad that I didn't buy you any present?".

He took her face in his hands and, as slowly as possible, said "Are you freaking out of your mind? Didn't you realise just how amazing this day was? I spent the day with you, Beth and my friends. I don't need anything else. I swear, it was a fucking perfect day". She smiled and kissed him sweetly, tongues brushing gently against the other and hands roaming slow on the other's body.

Of course, when the Bostonian family was already on its way home and Rachel entered his room with the hottest lingerie he had ever seen – black and red with black lace placed strategically and red ribbons so he could unwrap her slowly, he didn't complain at all.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

* * *

**Did you like it? I really hope so! Let me know your opinion about it by writing a review! You would do my day! Thank you so much for reading! See you soon!**


	22. California, Here We Come

**Hello my dearies!**

**I know that I'm like super late with the update but I really wanted to finish the next chapter (which, sadly, I haven't yet) before posting this one. However, as I told you, I still haven't wrapped my head around it and it's not right that I hold this one as hostage! This is the first one set in California (Artcedes' wedding is getting closer and closer, sweeties!)... I wanted to write two Californian chapter (this one and the next one) BUT the next one is coming differently from what I predicted sooo... there are going to be three Californian chapters! I think that the last chapter of this story will be Chapter 25 but, since it appears to me that I basically don't have a hold on them, I'm not very sure about it. LOL!**

**Hope you guys will like this chapter more than the previous one 'cause it seemed to me that it didn't go that well but it's okay and I'm very thankful for all those amazing people who took their time to write to me their opinions or simply read it or faved it. I mean... You are a blessing!**

**Now, enough with the ramble, I'll leave you to the new chapter. Hope you'll have fun!**

* * *

Rachel was like a child on a sugar-high when the small group of friends landed in San José and followed Santana and Brittany to their car (they were already in California from a couple of days, visiting the blonde's family; they were using Britt's and her mother's cars to drive around the city… so much better than spend some money in rented cars!).

"This is so exciting! I had never been in the West Coast before!" she squealed as the guys loaded the cars with their bags and garment bags and laughed out loud at the petite brunette's behaviour. She flipped through the pages of her pocket version of the "Lonely Planet" California guide and started to rattle on random information about the city until Puck took the book from her hands and rose it until it was out of her reach (not a very hard task, actually) and stated "Babe, calm the fuck down. We can't even see a quarter of the things that are in this book 'cause we're here for just four days, for our friends' wedding may I add, and we will be in the first flight for New York Monday morning 'cause you have a opening night in three weeks and your director will kill us all if you're not there in time for rehearsal on Monday afternoon, so shut the fuck up and calm the fuck down because if you keep talking like you did all flight long, I'm going to fucking explode".

She crossed her arm and frown at him "How very eloquent of you. However, I feel the need to tell you that you're being a real killjoy, Noah, and I won't let my spirit be damaged by you and your negativity", raising her nose in the air and walking to the front seat of the car driven by Santana. He sighed deeply and followed her, sitting with Finn and Marley in the behind seat.

Santana put in the GPS the place where they were staying (and in which the reception would take place too) and started to bitch around with Puck while Rachel, Finn and Marley were looking out of their windows with the amazement of three children on Christmas morning and were taking pictures of the surroundings.

It all seemed so exotic for them with all those palm trees. They were used to pines and conifer trees back in Ohio; palm trees were definitely something completely new for them! Puck chuckled eyeing his girlfriend, her nose-tip pushed against the window and a big smile on her face. His girl might be fucking cray-cray but she was fucking adorable!

The ride to the hotel was really short and, when they arrived, they couldn't believe their eyes. The white building was huge and very well kept. Around, perfectly trimmed flowerbeds and bright green grass almost shone under the warm sun. That place exuded class and to be very expensive! Rachel was still gaping at the building as the bellhops arrived and unloaded the trunks of the cars, asking for the car keys so they could put the cars in the private resort parking lot.

Noah slid his hand into hers and dragged her in the main hall. The hall was absolutely amazing and unbelievably cosy and warm, full of fresh flowers and wooden furniture. Rachel rose on her tip toes and tried to look around her: from where she was, she could see a big room full of round tables with people eating and, from a big glass window, she sneak a peak of the pool, where some kids were already playing happily. Thanks to her wandering eyes, she also noticed the signs "Spa", "Fitness Center", "To the Golf Karts" and "Conference Room".

The petite woman was about to say something to her friends but a massive man walked to them and started "Are you 'Cedes and Artie's friends?". Blaine promptly replied "Yes, sir. And you are…?", extending his hand cordially and with a big smile on his face. The man took his hand and shook it firmly, saying "I'm Trent Jones Jr., Mercedes' father. Welcome to San José. Hope you like this place".

Rachel immediately stepped in the conversation and told him "Like this place?! We love it! It's absolutely perfect and stunning. But we would have settled for much less, sir. It's already a lot that your family decided to pay for our accommodation completely; we don't want to be a burden".

Trent laughed out loud "Oh, my dear, don't worry about that. Just because Mercedes and Artie don't want our money, doesn't mean that we're hurting economically", making Rachel blush furiously and stutter "I-I'm so sorry. I didn't want to imply that…" but Mercedes' father just waved his hand in dismissive manner and shook his head with a big smile "Don't worry, sweetheart. I know that my 'Cedes doesn't talk about the fact that our family is rich. She's so stubborn and proud that she doesn't want our help. It's a sort of miracle that both her and Artie let us pay for your stay and for part of the wedding, so we're helping where we can".

Rachel smiled brightly and thanked him again, introducing one by one the others. Trent shook every single hand, always with a kind smile on his face; he seemed like a really lovely and kind man. He said that it was a pleasure meeting her daughter's friends but he had to go check on some other things for the weeding and that he would see them that night at the rehearsal dinner with Mercedes' and Artie's families.

"Oh God, Noah! Look!" Rachel squealed as soon as they entered in their room. The room had white walls and white curtains that lead to a small balcony where they could see a nice garden and a small golf court. The landscape was absolutely perfect: even if there were some tall buildings blocking the general view, hills were gently inclining in front of them and, in the hotel garden, some palm trees were moving along with the warm breeze.

Rachel looked back in the room and Noah was already spread on the poster bed, eating the chocolates that the maid left on the pillows. She jumped next to him, smiling broadly and giggling when he pulled her on top of him. Noah slid his hands on her back as Rachel pecked the tip of his nose and said "Noah, do you like it here?", blushing a little when he stated "As soon as I manage to get you naked, this place will become my favourite one".

She smirked and whispered in his ear "And how long will it take you?" but, as soon as Puck slid his hand on her ass, the door shut open and Kurt went in, keying something on his phone. "Diva, I'm calling 'Cedes right this instant because we need some explanation. I mean, have you see…Oh, did I interrupt something? Sorry, not so sorry. Next time close the door properly, Puckerman" the skinny man said, sitting in the edge of the bed.

While Noah groaned and whined at the interruption, Rachel simply smiled and patted his chest, shooting him an apologetic smile and sitting next to her dear friends as he put the phone on speaker and waited for her friend to pick up.

"_Hello Mr. Fantastic! Landed alright_?" Mercedes greeted excitedly from the other end of the phone, laughing loudly when Kurt screeched "Mercedes Jones! Why on earth didn't you tell us that you're like the Paris Hilton of California?! I googled your father as soon as he stopped talking. A hotel chain all over the west coast and you don't say anything to your favourite friends?!" and Rachel gingerly told her "Good morning, Mercedes! You're on speaker!". "_Hello Diva! And do I look like freaking Paris Hilton? That twig wishes to be like me. She can only dream to have my sass… and ass, too_" stated the ebony beauty, making Rachel laugh and Kurt scoff, and then she continued "_And I don't own a hotel chain, my parents do! Hell, I don't even own a house yet! We don't need my parents' money, we manage to live out of our well-earned money, thank you very much_".

After Mercedes stopped talking, Rachel asked full of curiosity "But, wait… You could had made Artie stop stripping as soon as you two got together if you…" but was cut short by her friend, who said _"I met him that he was already a stripper and I didn't told him that my family is rich. I told him only a year after we got together. And, as I already told you, I don't use my family's money and I don't ask for them; we only let them pay for our wedding because they insisted since we don't want any other presents. I want to make it on my own and so does my beau. So, are we done with the inquisition or…?_".

"No, we're not done! I…" Kurt started to say but Puck rolled his eyes while still laying on the bed and told him "Leave the chick alone, Hummel, and get the fuck out of my room. You already cock-blocked me one and I didn't beat the shit out of you but if you're not out of here in a minute…", looking in the eyes the outraged man, who was gaping at him.

Rachel slapped her boyfriend in the chest, crying out loud, and Mercedes laughed from the phone and said "_Say what?! You are loco, Kurt!_", snorting and barely managing to talk between the laughter. When she calmed down a bit, the ebony beauty stated "_White bread, go away from there as quickly as possible and I'll see you three at the rehearsal dinner tonight! Bye Puckleberry! Kurt, hope to see you in one piece tonight! I'm out_".

Kurt got up from the bed and looked at Rachel before stating "Your boyfriend is a brute. Don't even know why you like him" but, then, he took a good look at the man and sighed "Okay, I know why you like him but he's a brute nonetheless". The flamboyant man walked away and yelled "At least lock the door this time" before disappearing behind the door.

When Noah grabbed Rachel by her waist and dragged her on his lap, she tried to resist him by saying "No, Noah. You were awful to Kurt. You don't deserve anything right now!" but he attached at her neck and sucked at her pulse point until a low moan escaped from her mouth. He smirked in satisfaction and whispered "Don't hate on me because I want you all for myself. Not my fault you're fucking hot".

The petite woman smiled and grabbed his face so she was able to kiss him languidly on his lips but then she got up and walked towards the bathroom, saying "I have to take a shower to wash away the plane dirt". He was absolutely shocked: he really thought that he managed to convince her into give in! What the hell…? Did he lost his magic touch?

"Well, Noah, aren't you coming too?" she told him; her head sneaking from behind the bathroom door and a sultry smile on her lips. He jumped out from the bed and ran after her, not before locking the main door.

* * *

The group, after a quick nap (and some _extracurricular _activities for Rachel and Noah), put on some nice clothes and went in the lobby where the concierge sent them in the restaurant. Waiting for them and surrounded by a few people, there were Mercedes and Artie, who, as soon as they saw their friends, excused themselves and literally ran to greet and hug them all.

Rachel beamed as she hugged Artie and patted him on his chest, saying playfully "Well, aren't you dashing? I might even steal you away from Mercedes" and laughing when she heard the black woman reply "Over my and Puckerman's dead bodies, crazy-cheeks!". The petite brunette was wrapped in her friend's embrace right after and Rachel found herself smiling fondly and holding the other just as tight. "Oh, 'Cedes. I missed you so much. Our sleepovers are not the same without you" said the brown-eyed woman while still trapped in the embrace.

Mercedes smiled and stated "Of course they're not the same; I'm absolutely irreplaceable. But you are kind of irreplaceable too, diva. I still haven't got a lot of friends here. Sure, I'm like an hour away from my parents and my sister and her family live in Los Altos Hills but it's not the same, you know. Artie started to work at the lab just one month ago and I didn't meet many of his colleagues' wives yet so I particularly miss our little group", making Rachel sigh and say "I'm sure that you will find some new friends here too. Sure, no one would be as awesome as we are but you will be fine. And, when you get lonely, you just have to call me and I will be more than happy to keep you company. You just have to be sure that I'm not at the theatre, in which I'm basically living since the opening is so close and the director is driving everyone mad…".

Mercedes looped her arm in the other's, started to walk towards the table (following the others that were being introduced to some family members by Artie) and gushed over her "I'm so excited for you, Rach! You have to tell me everything about the rehearsals! Everything! But first, let me introduce you to…".

Artie's parents were absolutely lovely, poised and polite. His grandma Gladys was an adorable old lady with a very wrinkled face and white hair who, after talking to Rachel for awhile, was trying to set her up with some sort of Artie's cousin, even if she already told her several times that she had a boyfriend.

"But, honey, it would be really lovely to have you in the family as well. You seem like a really good and smart girl. Is there no way that you can ditch said boyfriend and start dating Edmund instead?" said the old lady, making Rachel giggle and blush at the same time while shaking her head. Later that evening, she even introduced Noah to her! She dragged him by the arm and, with a big smile, said to the old lady "Mrs. Abrams, I'd like to introduce you my boyfriend, Noah Puckerman".

Grandma Abrams was staring at him and Puck was doing his best to appear as charming as possible "Mrs. Abrams, it's a pleasure meeting you". The old lady looked absolutely smitten as Puck shoot at her a smouldering smile and looked at Rachel, stating "Well, well, dearie, this just prove how smart you are: I wouldn't let this beefcake go for nothing in the world either! Now I think I just have to find him another date… Do you think that pretty Latina over there is available?" and throwing the young couple in a fit of laughter.

Mercedes' family, on the other hand, was just like her: loud, funny and opinionated. Her mother was definitely the definition of loud and loved to argue with her sister about every kind of TV show, especially Real Housewives of Atlanta. As soon as she found that Rachel was an actress and that she was about to be in an Off-Broadway show, she gushed on her all evening long and told her that she would definitely come to New York and see her show, telling her how she saw the production of 'Cats' when she was younger and fell in love with Broadway so much that every time she happened to be in the City she made a point to see at least on show.

Noah spent the evening talking about football and baseball with Mercedes' brother-in-law, Shane, who was very funny (even if the teams he supported definitely sucked, according to the hazel-eyed man), and talked gibberish with his daughter who was just five months old and was kicking happily in her father's arms. He even held her for a while and laughed loudly when she was beaming at him with her toothless smile, her tiny hands playing with his tie (Yes. Rachel forced him to wear a tie. It was like hell. He was fucking hot and Rachel told him that numerous time but it was still hell for him).

When they all sat down to start dinner, the pastor started to talk about what would happen during the ceremony and what the spouses and the bridal party would do. Everything seemed pretty easy: they just had to follow the instructions of the minister and everything would run smoothly. Mercedes told them that the wedding will be set in the Japanese Friendship Garden and she was so excited about that. She assured them that it was absolutely stunning and that she couldn't wait for them to see it; she just hoped that the weather would have be just as great as the weather reports said because she wanted the ceremony to take place outdoor and not in the Tea House.

When the wife-to-be said the location, Rachel squealed and started to say that she wanted to visit the garden so bad but she was afraid she couldn't do it because of the limited time in the Californian city. She read about it plenty and research about it extensively; knowing that she would manage to visit it and that she would always link it to such a happy event put a huge smile on her face for the rest of the evening.

The evening flew quickly between toasts, laughter and wedding talks. Artie's best man was absolutely hilarious (when the others understood what he was saying): Rory was born and raised in Ireland and, even if he spent every single summer of his life in Chicago with his uncle and aunt – Artie's neighbours, he had a really thick Irish accent.

It was hilarious see how Brittany was more than certain that he was a real Irish leprechaun and was trying to make him grant her three wishes. Finn went particularly along with him… maybe because he was one of the few people who fully understood him (how her brother managed to do that was beyond Rachel; every time she tried to talk with Rory, she had to ask him to talk very slowly!).

The girls also met Mercedes' sister and maid of honour Mona and tried to find out something about the bachelorette party that she organised for the following evening. The only compulsory things, according to the woman, were stilettos. And feeling sexy. Rachel was kind of scared of how the night could turn out while Santana nodded in appreciation at the woman and whistled slowly, with a wicked smirk on her face and saying "Oh, I like how it sounds. Do I have to bring some booze?". Mona put an arm around the Latina's shoulders and stated "Uh! That would be lovely! You know…", walking away from the little group to talk with the black-eyed woman alone.

Okay, now Rachel was definitely scared of how the night could turn out!

* * *

Today was one sweet fucking day if you asked Puck.

Sleeping in, lazy morning sex, chilling under the hot Californian sun by the pool with his babe down to a very skimpy bikini next to him. Seriously, this was kind of the perfect day. He was even excited for the bachelor party as he got dressed in his and Rachel's room while she was looking at him from the bed.

The only thing he and the other guys knew about today's party was that they had to wear comfortable clothes because they were going to do some outdoor activities so he just put on a T-Shirt, a pair of jeans with his beat-up Converse.

"Do you have any idea of what are you going to do today?" asked Rachel from her position while he was checking his freshly trimmed mohawk in the mirror. Without diverting his gaze, he answered "Nope. Shane and Rory planned it all by themselves and didn't tell us anything in particular. Just to be in the hall at 5". He checked his phone: he still had half an hour before meeting with the guys.

When he raised his head, he found Rachel biting her bottom lip and staring at an undefined point on the wall: good Lord, his girlfriend thought way too much!

So, since he was kind of a kickass boyfriend, he sat down on the bed and patted at the place next to him, watching as she crawled to him and rested her head on his tight. He caressed her face and dove his hand on her hair before whispering (classy as ever) "Why the fuck are you nervous, crazy cake?". She rolled her eyes and replied flatly "I'm not nervous, Noah" but he promptly rebutted "Bullshit and you know it. Babe, cut the crap and tell me what's wrong with you. I have to be in the lobby in 20".

He watched her as she sighed and asked timidly "Do you think that strippers will be involved in the bachelor party?", which made Puck laugh loudly. Rachel frowned and slapped her boyfriend's chest as she stated seriously "Well, I'm happy that my misery amuses you so much!". Noah kept laughing but managed to say "That would be fucking ironic, don't you think?", which gained another eye-roll from the brown-eyed woman.

When he calmed down a bit, he told her "B, I don't think there will be strippers 'cause I know Artie told the guys that he didn't want any of that… Or something on the line of 'Mercedes would cut my balls if she finds out that there are strippers'; don't remember which one. But even if there are, you know that you have nothing to worry about, right?". His hand was right on her cheek and she leaned at the touch, whispering "It's just… I finally have you all for myself. I don't like to think of some other woman touching you or…".

Her eyes were closed tightly and she could feel the frustration rose from the pit of her stomach but, when she hear Noah say sweetly "Open your eyes, beautiful", it just disappeared and she give him a small sweet smile (she turned to mush every time he called her 'Beautiful'; he didn't use that word very often but when he did… God, she loved him so much).

"Don't worry, babe. You don't have to share me with any other chick. I'm yours" he said seriously before descending and kissing her sweetly. When they broke the kiss, she smiled brightly and told him "I love when you say that. I'm yours, too". "Now, don't go all sap on me" he winked at her, pecking her lips one more time and gently getting up so that he gave her time to move from her position. When Noah glanced one last time at her from the door, Rachel shoot him a big smile and told him "Have fun with the boys and be careful. I love you, honey", laughing loudly when he replied "I love your crazy ass too, babe. See ya later".

Of course, he was the last one to arrive in the lobby and rolled his eyes when the others told him "Puck, we were about to send a rescue squad up there to save you. We thought Rachel might had tied you to keep you there". The mohawked man smirked and stated "If she would had even thought about tide me at the bed, sure as hell I would have ditch your hairy asses and stayed with her", which made his friends laugh (minus Finn, who just glared at him) and tease him for it until Artie, Shane and Rory arrived and loaded them in the van the Irish man rented.

Once inside the vehicle and on the road, Artie asked them "So, where on earth are you taking me? Please, don't make me do anything stupid or reckless. Mercedes will kick my ass if I come back with broken bones or without teeth, like in 'The Hangover'; she wants a perfect wedding photo shoot and I can't be as hot as I usually am without teeth. And I don't think she will be down to keep a tiger in the backyard either" but the New Yorkers just told him that they had no idea at all while Artie's future brother-in-law and Rory just shrugged his shoulders and shared a knowing glance, still not leaking any detail about the day ahead of them.

The guys joked for the whole ride (which was quite short) but the shenanigans stopped when Shane parked the van in front of a grey building with a bright red sign. As soon as they understood what they were going to do, Puck started to laugh out loud, Artie whispered in disbelieve "Are you guys kidding me?" while Mike and Sam high-fived excitedly, stating "This is going to be freaking epic!". The only people who stayed silent were Blaine and Finn who were looking at the others a little bit confused. Their behaviour was easily explained when the tallest one asked "What does it mean 'Laser Tag'?" and Blaine nodded in agreement, pointing at Finn and saying "What he said".

Puck's mouth flew open and said slowly "You have to be fucking kidding me. Do you really not know how to play laser tag? I mean, not totally surprised about Anderson 'cause he's gay", which was met by the petite man's cries "Hey! That's stereotypical and homophobic!", but, then, the hazel-eyed man kept going "but you, Hudson; you should know about that. it's a sort of rite of passage for teenage boys! Like seeing the first pair of boobs or shave for the first time".

When Blaine didn't receive any type of recognition or excuse, the curly man just rolled his eyes and shook his head: even if dating Rachel improved Puck's behaviour a bit, deep down inside he was still an uncouth hooligan. Thank God Blaine knew that he was like that and he didn't mean to say that out of spite because, after all, he was a great friend. With a shitty sense of humour but a great friend nonetheless.

Mike explained quickly to the two guys what was Laser Tag as the group entered the building and the clerk, after talking to Shane, led them to a room full of black vests with some colourful led on them. The young clerk explained briefly the rules of the game and how the equipment worked. Before giving them the vests, he informed them that they had to follow some pretty basic rule of conduct, at which Noah rolled his eyes in annoyance but nodded anyway.

Once the teams were made (Artie, Rory, Puck and Blaine VS Shane, Mike, Sam and Finn) and the guns handed to them, the guys entered the external arena and the two teams split, looking for their own bases and figuring out which strategy they should follow. Suddenly, a female electronic voice went on and started the countdown "3…2…1… Game On".

Puck immediately run behind a block while Blaine tried to sneak a peak at what the others were doing. The perfectly coiffed man spotted Sam and, after a quick sign to his companion, the two men started to aim their laser at their blond friend who, caught off-guard, yelled "Fuck!" and tried to find a place to hide because, since they caught him, his gun was off for ten minutes. However, the duo ran right after him, with Noah still shooting at his best friend (and increasing the time off for Sam's gun) and yelling at his teammate "Anderson, watch my back!".

In fact, a couple of seconds later, Mike appeared from behind a wall (alarmed by the blonde's desperate cries for help) and raised his gun to shoot them. Blaine tried to catch him but the Asian was a fucking ninja and his laser was the fastest of the two, putting in time out Blaine's gun. The short man tried to look for a way out but his only way out there was blocked by Mike so the only thing he could do was watching his lean friend smile wickedly and went to pull the gun's trigger again.

Mike's smile disappeared when a "Pow pow pow" was heard. Puck shot at him and, with a smirk, he stated "Chang, you should know that Puckfasa can wipe the floor with your ninja ass", aiming at the Asian once again. However, Chang was really fast and managed to run away before being shot at again.

Blaine beamed at him and said jokingly "Aw, Puck, I knew that deep inside you have a soft spot for me. You love me, Puckerman. Should I tell Rachel about that?". Puck laughed out loud and said "Shut your trap and go ahead, Anderson! Just trying to save your sorry ass, man. You really suck at this. Now let's kick some losers' asses and be careful 'cause your gun is still off", patting the other man's shoulder and walking away (Blaine following him) acting like a real soldier.

Two hours, four games, one feud with another team (in which the average age was, like, 10) and numerous swears after, the eight grown-ups finally left the building, laughing and teasing one another for their ability (or better, inability) at laser tag.

Once again in the van, they stopped for dinner before moving on to the next activity. Artie looked at where they were and told them sarcastically "McDonald's drive-thru, guys? Classy. It's not like I'm getting married anyway", which made his friends snicker. Mike poked the future groom with his elbow and teased him "Oh, come on, Artie! You're basically already married to Mercedes; I don't even know why we're doing a bachelor party! So you get what you get and don't whine. Big Mac, Double Quarter Pounder or McRib?".

By the time they arrived to their next stop, the van was literally a pigpen, full of Coca-Cola cups, burgers' boxes and cardboard potatoes wraps. And, just to raise the intellectual level in the van, the guys were involved in a burp contest. Blaine and Rory, who were the most finicky of the group, were torn between being grossed out and being slightly amused.

When they got off of the van, the noise of loud engines diverted the guys' attention from the contest and Finn immediately lighted up, saying excitedly "Go-Karts! Now, this is something I good at! I'm going to beat you all!". "What?! You're delusional, Finn!" screeched Sam while Puck laughed out loud and stated "In your dreams, Finnessa! I think they don't even have karts for freaking tallish guys like you! And… I'm a fucking dragon on the kart; you're all doomed!".

As they were putting their gear on (and the clerk was having a hard time trying a suit big enough for Finn, which made the guys take the piss out of him for the rest of the evening), Puck's phone went off and an envelope appeared on the screen. He checked on it and read

**From: Rachel* "Hi honey, are you guys having fun? I'm about to meet with the girls in the lobby. Say hello to everybody. Love you"**

Noah went to type his answer but, then, an idea started to play in his brain. "Trouty Mouth, come here!" he called for his roommate, who rolled his eyes and muttered something from under the helmet. Puck extended his phone to the blonde as the latter took the helmet off and eyed suspiciously at the phone device. "Puck, I'm not going to put your phone in the locker for you. You have legs, go for yourself" stated the Tennessee guy and frowned a little when his best friend pushed his phone in his hands anyway. He was about to say something but Noah was quicker and told him "I don't want you to put it down, moron. I want you to take a picture of me to send Rach! Chicks dig men in shit like this!", indicating himself in the racing suit.

Sam crossed his arms in front of his chest and demanded "Ask nicely!", which made Puck roll his eyes and say "If you take this fucking picture, then I'm going to take one of you too to send Quinn. Deal?". That was enough to make Sam beam at him and take the pic (fin-fucking-ally). When he finally got rid of the man who was now happily sending the image to his girlfriend, Puck send his babe his pic with a text attached.

**To: Rachel* "Ur man is 1 fucking hot kart driver, babe"**

The response came right after.

**From: Rachel* "You look really handsome indeed, honey. Be careful and have fun with the go-karts! See you later XO P.s. Watch out for Finn; he's a really good kart driver. Dad, he and I used to spent Sunday afternoon at the kart circuit in Lima"**

Archived in his personal spank-bank the image of his girlfriend with a racing suit, the group started to move and, after watching a short video with safety instruction, the guys hopped on their karts and positioned themselves on the start line, waiting for the clerk to wave the flag and start the race. There were a couple of more drivers but were competing in the indoor track so they had the outdoor one all for themselves.

They had a blast on the track, trying to surpass one another: they were all really competitive! They found out that Finn was really great at it! He basically won the majority of the races but that didn't save him from the jokes about his attire (the suit was still too small and the ankles and wrists were on display. It was too funny to not say anything about that!).

The jokes about Finn being a giant and not fitting in the racing suit continued even hours later when the group went to a bar for drinks and fried chicken wings. It was only a coincidence that it was also karaoke's night. Artie sang almost every Michael freaking Jackson's song on the song list and it was so damn funny watch a plastered Artie trying to do the moonwalk and almost falling from the makeshift stage! The guy was such a lightweight: he definitely didn't know how to handle his vodka.

He was drinking his fifth beer that his phone went off again and, when he saw the picture that Rachel sent him, he almost spat his beer all over Sam's face.

The lights in the room where his girlfriend was were soft and reddish and she was perched sensually on a pole. Rachel was upside down. Her hair falling in long dark locks and part of her stomach in display because her top was raised a bit by gravity while her hands were gripping the pole behind her back. Her long legs were bare thanks to her black shorts and tightened around the pole; her right ankle crossed on her left knee and the left leg stretched straight. The text attached was

**From: Rachel* "Ur woman is 1 fucking hot pole dancer, babe ;)"**

…The fuck?!

* * *

**This is it for the bachelor party! Did you like it? I really hope so! Write me your opinions about it; I love to read your review!**

**Up next: Bachelorette party and an interesting conversation!**

**See you soon!**


	23. Drunken Conversation

**Hello beautiful people!**

**Here I am with a new chapter! But, first of all, let me thank you all you kind souls who wrote me to let me know what you think of my story! It always put a huge smile on my face everytime I see a review! THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Another thank you definitely is for every single one of you who read , followed and faved it! Thank you so much!**

**But, I have to tell you, that I don't know if I will be able to post the next chapter in time (5/6 days) because I just started it (This one was a biatch to write and it put me off my schedule!). However, I'll try to be as fast as possible!;)**

**Now I'll leave you to the story! Hope you'll like it!**

* * *

Rachel stepped in the limo rented by Mona and Mercedes' cousins Eve and Wendy for the party dressed with a nice pair of black shorts, a nice silver top and her favourite pair of pumps. Santana looked around and whistled in appreciation, saying with a smirk "Well, well, well… This is classy, girls. Good job! So, are we ready to get this party started?" and taking out of her bag some bottles of flavoured vodka, tonic water, Jack Daniel's, gin and tequila to add to the several bottle of sparkling wine that were already in the vehicle's mini fridge.

As she passed the bottle of tequila to Mona, the Latina winked at Rachel, who shook her head: the petite girl knew that that night was not going to end well: nothing never ended up good when tequila was involved in Rachel and Santana's night. The petite woman was still trying to move on from the great fiasco of her 21st birthday: that day she swore that she would never drink tequila again in her life (yet, every time Santana was involved, they kept ending having shots).

Mona grabbed the bottles and put them in the mini fridge before picking up a bottle of wine and extending the stem glasses to the other women. As she poured the liquid in their glasses, she stated "We have to make a toast before dinner! To my little sister Mercedes, ladies… and gentleman, who decided to be chained for life to Artie. Enjoy this last night with your friends as a unmarried woman and good luck, baby sis! Cheers!" and rose her glass at the curvy woman while the girls and Kurt repeated happily "To Mercedes!", making the black woman blush and beam at them.

They had dinner in a lovely bistro in downtown San Jose with a wide wine selection which meant that, by the end of the supper, most of them were definitely tipsy, giggling and snorting at silly things. The giggling just doubled when they arrived at their next destination.

The limo parked in front of a building which had a glass shopfront and, on it, with a loopy font, there was the name of the activity. In a smaller and more regular font, the writing "Pole Dance Studio". Rachel gasped at him while Santana was dragging her inside by one arm, following the others who were carefully taking in the environment. The entrance had pink walls and, behind a black receptionist's desk, a beautiful woman was talking with Mona and checking the reservation on a white binder.

The girl smiled and directed them in the other wing of the studio where they were greeted by the sight of a counter where their driver was leaving all their alcohol to a very-well built man who just wink at them. Santana glared at Mona and asked "Why the hell Hoke Colburn right here is giving our booze to Hawaii Ken?", rolling when she noticed the proud smile on her best friend's face: all those time that the petite brunette forced the Latina to see "Driving Miss Daisy" finally paid off!

The black woman replied calmly "Don't worry, Santana. They let us drink only if we take our own alcohol" and then turned to the guy ordering "Vodka sunrise aplenty for me and the girls… and keep them coming. Thank you" while Santana butted in "Daniel's. On the rocks".

After the secretary told Brittany, Quinn and Marley (who were wearing dresses) to follow her in the changing room so they could put on some work-out shorts, Rachel tried to sneak a peak at the rehearsal room and then asked in disbelieve "Are we seriously about to doing this?". Mercedes took the drink and stated "Hell to the yeah we're doing this. You all need some lessons in sexiness from the queen right here. What better occasion?", making Rachel giggle while sipping at the drink and Santana gasp in disbelieve. "You did not say that you're sexier than me, Wheezy!" said Santana, creating a little squabble between the two while the others could only watch it amused.

When the threesome appeared with some yoga-pants under their dresses (which made laugh everybody because they were pretty hilarious to look at), they entered in the work-out room. The room were quite large: dark wooden floor, dark red walls with mirrors all around and soft light gave the room a very sexy and cosy vibe. In the centre, at least six golden poles were only waiting to be danced around and some individual lights were illuminating each pole singularly.

A very friendly girl smiled at them and introduced herself "Hello girls… and boy", winking at Kurt, "my name is Alex and I'm here to teach you some sexy lap dance routine. You're ready to have fun?". The girls all yelled and hollered in approval, some of them taking their place next to a pole while some others had to sit through the first round because there weren't enough poles for everyone.

After explaining to them the basics of pole dancing, Alex started to teach them a simple routine on the tune of "Maneater". As Rachel twirled and slid around the pole, she couldn't help the feeling of freedom that overtook her: maybe it was the sexy vibe of the location, maybe the two vodka sunrise (added to all the wine she drank before it) but she felt like she stopped caring about being proper and just being…Sexy! And apparently she was very good at pole-dancing because the teacher told her and Brittany that she had never seen beginners that good on the first try and that she could teach them some hardest position while the others kept rehearsing the basic choreography.

She was laughing with Kurt who was trying to do every single movement correctly, exaggerating each movement and sending her friend in a fit of laughter. "Diva, let me tell you something" he stated semi-seriously as he dipped while one leg and one hand of his were wrapping the pole "As soon as we come back to the city, we're going to audition for 'Rock of Ages'. There's no way in hell that they don't take us as Sherrie Christian. I mean, no one is better than us in working the pole".

He tried to twirl and slide gracefully but he just fell awkwardly on the floor, laughing at himself and crawling to where he left his drink so he could take another gulp at it. He sat down on the floor, sipping at his drink and watching as Quinn stole his pole. "Pole stealer!...Remember me to not leave you alone with Blaine!" he yelled half-heartedly but laughed right after, followed quickly by everybody else in the room.

Rachel told him excitedly "Kurt! Take a sexy picture of me!" but the effeminate man asked with a raised eyebrow "And why would I do that? You're really not my type. You don't have a pole in the right place", snorting at his own pun. God, those Vodka sunrise were strong… and he was a lightweight.

"Not for you, dumb-dumb! I want to send it to Noah" she trilled, twirling gracefully around the pole. He immediately dug into Rachel's bag and giggled happily when he finally found her phone. He was all in to make Puckerman squirm!

Rachel took the advanced position that Alex taught her before and tried to keep it until she heard the click of her phone go off. Rachel rushed next to the blue-eyed man and grabbed her phone, praising his photographic skills. She lost no time and immediately sent it to her boyfriend with a little text attached that made her giggle.

Waiting for an answer, she sat next to Kurt (since Wendy was using her pole now) and laughed with him, watching their friends having fun and singing "Sexy Back". Finally her phone buzzed and she smiled at what he wrote her.

**From: Noah "Fuck, b! Hot as hell! Remember me 2 buy u a pole 4 ur bday, def nee dance around it live. Where r u?! Pls, tell me there r no fuckers around or I'll have 2 kill em all"**

**To: Noah "Don't worry, honey. We're in a studio and the only men around are Kurt and a bartender so there's no reason to shed any blood. The teacher says I'm very gifted… I should quit Les Mis and start working in a night club ;)"**

**From: Noah "Over my dead body, berry. Over my dead body"**

Rachel was still smiling at her phone when Santana yelled "No phones and no men, Berry! Put it away and drag your ass here or, I swear to God, I'm going to smash it on the wall!". The petite woman shook her head but put it away nonetheless and joined her. The night was still young, after all!

* * *

The group of friends walked through the lobby, pretending to be perfectly sober and waving cutely at the concierge, but when Quinn met a sofa in her way and fell on it unceremoniously, the rest of them couldn't help but laugh out loud, catching the attention of the receptionist, who glared at them.

Kurt helped the blonde to get on her feet again and they made their way to the elevator basically swaying. Rachel and Brittany were leaned on one another, trying to appear as normal and sober as possible.

As the group entered the elevator, silence settled among them until the petite woman said "My nana had a cane and used to try to beat my zayde with it every time he had a sherry too many… It was very funny to watch her chase him in my yard at every family reunion". The group was blinking at Rachel confused and silent until Brittany told her "My grandma had a fish", making the brown-eyed woman reply "She used to beat your grandpa in the head with that too?". The blond thought about it before answering "No. He lived in the fishbowl. His name was Herbert".

Santana, leaned on the elevator door, frowned in concentration, staring at her girlfriend and her best friend, and tried to find a logical connection to what they had said but, when she found none, she said loudly "The fuck did I just hear? You two are fucking cray cray!". However, her laughter stopped when the door opened and Santana fell on her ass, screeching. The girls and Kurt started to laugh loudly, barely keeping the tear at bay. Rachel and Tina tried to help the Latina, who was basically yelling by now because her friends were a bunch of idiots for laughing at her and because the petite woman and the Asian beauty were having some problems with helping her up. In fact, a mere seconds later, the two women tried to pull their friends up but they fall on the floor too because Santana wasn't collaborating.

The laughter from the small group of friend increased and even the girls on the floor was laughing uncontrollably, with tears rolling down their cheeks. They were laughing so hard that they didn't even realize that they woke up someone.

Puck opened the door in just a pair of sweats and, as soon as he saw what the girls were doing and where his girlfriend and friends were, he leaned on the door frame with his arms crossed and chuckled uttering "I take you girls had fun tonight?". Rachel rolled on her back until she was looking at him with a huge smile on her face and extended her arms to him.

He laughed and walked towards her, glancing down with a smirk when he was next to her. She pouted when he didn't pick her up; she wiggled her fingers a little bit more… maybe he didn't understand that she wanted to be picked up from the floor?

But he shook his head and stated "I'm not picking you up just so you could fall again. I'm going to ask for a back up and than I'm going to help you out", leaping over his girlfriend and the other two girls and knocking on Mike and Tina's door (the other guys were absolutely wasted so he didn't think they could help anyway).

Rachel whined "Don't be such a bitch with your babe, Noah!" just as Mike opened the door. The Asian's eyes grew big as saucers (he had never ever heard Rachel talk with such words) while Puck cracked up. The lean mean slowly sneaked a peak at the situation and muttered "Why the heck are our girlfriends and Santana on the floor?! Oh shit…!".

Mike tried to move as fast as possible but he couldn't save Marley from her destiny. The blue-eyed girl was laughing and swaying so hard that stumbled backwards into Tina's leg and fell on her ass. "God, they're wasted" Mike whispered at his friend while the other, who calmed down a little and was walking towards the group, stated "No shit, Asian Sherlock. Now, help me out so we can go to sleep".

With some efforts, the guys managed to sent each girl and boy into their respective rooms, leaving just Tina and Rachel still on the floor, laid one next to the other while taking about the grandiosity of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream and moving their arms in the air as they talked. "Do you think we should leave them there? They seem pretty okay there, if you ask me"Noah said.

Mike chuckled at his friend's idea and nodded but the two kept walking until thy were next to their respective girlfriends. Mike crutched down and gently asked his girlfriend "T, what about going to sleep?", caressing her cheek and smiling sweetly.

Puck, on the other hand, picked Rachel bridal style; she snuggled against his hard, warm chest and nuzzled her nose against his skin, making him kiss her head affectionately. He said goodbye to his friend and walked to his room, closing the door behind them not before hearing Tina's voice saying loud and clear "I want to eat Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream off of your abs, Mikey. Where do you think we can find it right now?" and he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Rachel frowned and looked around, asking "Noah, why you're carrying me around? I know how to driv… walk! Walk, not drive!". "Yeah, babe. I know. Just wanted to hold your drunk self" he chuckled as he entered the bathroom and sat her on the toilet, turning on the shower and settling it so to reach the coldest water possible.

He turned when he felt her hands basically groping his ass and cocked an eyebrow at her with a very amused smile on his face. She just beamed at him and stated "You have a really great ass, Noah. I just want to bite it half of the time. It's so round and perfect and it's really… It's just ask for your attention, you know?".

He snorted and started to undress her, saying "God, whatever the fuck you drank was fucking strong, wasn't it babe? Come on, off with the clothes so you can go under the shower" and laughing even harder when she shot him a wicked grin and tried to take off his pants too, stating "I like this game. Let's see who can get the other out of his clothes faster". He rolled his eyes amused and explained her "The shower is only for you. You're gonna hate me for this right now but tomorrow you will be grateful for it. And, if you still feel a little feisty after it, I'm game for all the filthy ideas you have in that cute head of yours".

She frowned a little and stood still while he kept taking off her clothes; from her face you could see that she was deep in concentration, trying to figure out what her boyfriend was saying in that moment. She totally got it when he basically shove her under the shower spray and she gasped in surprise as the ice-cold water hit her skin. She tried to avoid it but Noah kept her in place for a couple of minutes (the time for her to sober up a little bit) and then he turned the shower off and wrapped her in the fluffy hotel towel, rubbing her strongly.

She glared at him and screeched "What is wrong with you?! Are you out of your mind?". He pecked her wet nose and stated "You already sound more like your usual self. Now you're gonna drink a bottle of water so tomorrow you won't feel completely like an extra from 'The walking dead'", watching as her expression softened as he spoke. With a small smile, she asked dreamily "Are you taking care of me?" and leaned on her boyfriend with a huge smile when he stated "Isn't it what boyfriends do?".

They went out of the bathroom and Puck told her to put on her pyjama while he quickly grabbed one bottle of water from the refrigerator and looked in her trolley for her little case with all the medical shit (she always had it with her), looking for the vitamin can and taking a couple of pills. When he turned around, Rachel was laying on her back with her arms and legs wide open. He could see that she was totally lost in her thoughts. He chuckled at the sight and walked the short distance, sitting on the bed and poking her side with a bottle until she looked at him and he said "Drink it up and take these".

After taking the vitamin pills and drinking half bottle, she looked at him with big shiny eyes, trying to stifle a yawn, and asked all cute "Can we cuddle a bit? I really like to be held in your arms", which made him snicker and, even if he was a little disappointed that he wouldn't enjoy the wild drunk sex he expected (after the picture she send her, could you really lame the guy?!), nod at her as he laid down and welcomed her in his embrace.

She smiled and snuggled against his side, passing one hand under the elastic band of his sweats from one hip to the other slowly. "Babe, don't start shit you won't finish" he warned, making her giggle while her hand rested on his bare hip and her thumb stroked sweetly his skin.

The two stayed silent for awhile until she asked "Do you ever think about the future, Noah?". He hummed before replying "Sometimes… Why you asking?" which was met by another question "Aren't you afraid that this is too perfect to be true? I mean, you and I. Is it really that simple to be with someone? With my other relationships, I felt like I needed to be always perfect and up to their expectations but with you… For the first time, I feel like it's alright for me to be… Unflawless". He chuckled at her made-up word and squeezed her a little bit tighter in his arms, resting his lips on her head and pecking her lightly.

She sighed deeply and kept talking "I feel like it cannot be this perfect. I'm living with the fear that sooner or later this will change and we would not be together anymore. And I don't want not to be with you. I want to be with you forever; I want to have your babies. I'm thinking about it since your birthday, you know? They would be beautiful, with your hazel eyes, your nose and my hair. You would teach them how to play guitar and I would sing them to sleep. You could teach them how to play football even if I would not be very happy about it because it's a violent sport and I don't really want to see my children hurt so I would try to push them into dancing. And I don't even know why I'm telling you this because I know that this will freak you out but Santana brought tequila even if she knows that we always end up very drunk when there's tequila around and I'm a very talkative drunk but I just feel that I have to tell you this because you have to know just how much I love you. I wish we have a boy first and then a girl because I liked having Finn looking out for me, even if it didn't help much with the bullying back in high school, but, at least, he was always there to picking up the pieces and he's my best friend and I want that for our little girl. I like the name Aaron, it's Jewish, it means 'mountain of strength' and I think it has a nice ring. Aaron Puckerman. And I still don't know what name could fit perfectly for our baby girl but, then, if I choose the boy's name, it's only fair for you to choose the girl's. You would be a great father; you would love them like crazy. So, I'm like freaking out that one day you will wake up and decide that I'm just too much for you to handle and just walk away from me. I don't want you to walk away".

Puck was absolutely frozen on the spot. He really couldn't believe at what he just heard; he knew that Rachel loved him and God knew just how much he loved her back but he never imagined that she put so much thought about a future and a family with him. He actually never thought about their babies since the day of his birthday: he knew they weren't there yet but it really shocked him knowing that she thought about all that stuff and, apparently, she really thought about it an awful lot! But he couldn't help the smile that spread on his face as she told him about how she imagined their future and their family. The more she talked, the more he found himself excited about what it could be.

After a couple of minutes in complete silence, he stated "I like the name Abigail". He heard her taking a sharp sigh and continued "And it's bullshit the thing about football being a violent sport. It's gonna give him confidence and team spirit. And it's gonna give him a body threatening enough to scare the shit out of all the guys who would dare to get near our baby girl because she would be fucking beautiful; I mean, look at who her parents will be".

She giggled and nuzzled her nose against his side, pecking it. He grabbed her chin gently and directed her face, so she could see his face, before telling her "But… I think we should have this conversation when you're not drunk as skunk and we're so not ready for babies yet. Just know that… I'm not going anywhere, babe. Wild fucking horses couldn't drag me away from you so don't worry about losing me. You're the best fucking thing that ever happen to me. I'm not so stupid to let you go that easily. Okay, B?".

She straddled him and, after putting her hands on his cheeks, she kissed him deeply. Their tongues met, stroking and teasing the hell out of the other; a faint flavour of tequila in their mouth. She broke the kiss and, with heavy breath, looked right in his eyes and said "God, I love you so much, Noah", closing her eyes and sighing at the feeling of his hands sliding down her tights pressing her toned flesh, from her ass and down to the back of her knees.

Her hands slid down his face to his neck, her nails scraping lightly at it while she whispered hotly against his mouth "I love you so fucking much" and smirked when he groaned and grabbed a fistful of her dump hair, leading her lips to his so they could kiss again. Her cursing was definitely one of the hottest thing ever, according to Puck. She didn't do that often, but when she did, Puck was all over it, like a monkey on a cupcake.

She grounded her hips, moaning when she felt the contact with Puck's semi-erected member. He licked his way to her neck and started to suck it, doing it even harder when she told him in his ear (before licking the shell of it) "Did you really think that I wouldn't put it out tonight, Noah? Even after the picture I sent you? I thought about you all night, wishing you were there with me, watching me, touching me. Did you like the picture, honey?" and slid one hand under her sweats and boxers until she reached his hard shaft and started to stroke it slowly.

He growled at the sensation and murmured "Hell yeah, babe. You're so fucking hot" while, with his hands, started to take off her tank top, caressing the full length of her smooth back. When she raised her arm so he could take it off completely, one of his arms slid around her waist and managed to lay her down on her back.

"Shit, you're fucking perfect" he told her as he made his way down her torso, leaving a trail of wet open kisses in his wake and brushing her sides before taking off her shorts (smart girl wasn't wearing panties… Did he already tell that she was perfect?!). After taking off his pants and boxers, he crawled on the bed, kissing the inside of her calves and knees, setting her legs over his back. He spend an awful time kissing languidly her tights and, from his position, he could see just how much ready she was for him. Rachel's heels were pushing against his lower back, wanting to feel him on her throbbing centre as soon as possible. She really couldn't wait any longer; she felt like she could burst into flames if he didn't do something really soon.

He looked at her from his position between her tights and smirked: her chest was moving quickly, her eyes wide shut and her hands were fisting the sheets so tightly that her knuckles were completely white. She was fucking beautiful. A vision.

Her hips buckled a bit so he stabilised her and chuckled, teasing her a bit for it with an "Easy there, tiger. Impatient much, uh?", which was met by the petite woman's cries "Noah, please, I just…" but she couldn't finish talking because he took a good lick of her, making her moan loudly. He circled a couple of times the bundle of nerves with his tongue and bit it lightly, glancing at her arching her back and sliding her hand down her chest and on his mohawk so that she could keep him in place.

"Oh, God, Noah, yes" he heard her mutter almost desperate as he lap her folds quickly and his nose bumped into her clit. Her free hand went over his hand on her hip, intertwining the fingers, and whimpered desperately: she was really close to her release.

But Noah already knew that so he put his tongue into her and move it quickly until she was a total crying mess, with her back arched to an extreme angle and her hand holding his so tight that he was sure the blood in it stopped running. He lazily kept licking her until she was down from her high before sliding up her body, wrapping his arms around her and taking her with him as he sat down.

Her breath was still heavy but she welcomed his mouth on her, kissing him and tasting herself in him as her arms went around him; strong the necessity of feeling his body against her. His arms were around her as well, holding her just as tight, as he slid her down his member and he murmured against her collarbone "I love you so much, babe. So fucking much".

He groaned at the sensation of being inside her and looked at her, mouth slightly open and her eyes still closed. He caressed her cheek and told her "B, look at me. Rach…", going with her movements when her deep brown eyes met his hazel ones. A smirk appeared on his face as she groaned in pleasure but tried to keep her eyes on him, their sweaty foreheads in touch.

Hot breaths mixed, nails scratching and their moaning in the air; it only took a slight change of position for him to hit the right spot, sending her in another mind-blowing orgasm, with him following right after. He let himself fall behind until his back hit the soft mattress, still with her in his arms.

When she recovered a bit, she pecked his lips sweetly and, caressing his neck, asked with a small voice "You're not going anywhere?", looking at his face until they eyes met. His hand slid slowly up and down her back as he assured her "I'm not going anywhere", kissing her slowly and languidly.

When they broke the kiss, she yawned against his shoulder, making him snicker and say "B, you're tired and drunk. Sleep it off" but she shook her head and told him "I'm not drunk anymore. Must have been the mind-blowing orgasm you just gave me by fucking me", which made him laugh dryly before kissing her hungrily.

But hen, he stated "Just you talking about "fucking" instead of making love and some shit like that means that you're still drunk as fuck. So sleep, Rach" and held her tighter when she rested her head on his chest and her hand on his abs, murmuring a sweet "Okay. Sleep tight, honey. I love you".

The last thing he remembered is kissing her head and saying "Love you too, crazyface. Love you too" before falling into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Rachel woke up with a terrific headache and an awfully dry mouth.

But it was none of that that woke her up: she felt like something tickling her left nipple that interrupted her sleep. She moved, trying to make it stop and so did it… for a couple of seconds. Then it just kept going. So, the only thing left to do was open her eyes, see what it was and make it stop before going back to sleep. Now… that sounded pretty easy, didn't it? Well, it was most definitely not.

She tried to open one eye but her eyelids were very heavy and, even when she managed to open one eye just a tiny bit, the bright light from the balcony door blinded her. She groaned and rubbed her eyes, trying to ease the discomfort.

The tickling at her nipple stopped but she felt the bed dip under some sort of weight and a scent that was completely Noah filled her nostrils. "'Morning, babe. Come one, finish your bottle and take some more vitamins. Then, I'm taking you to breakfast. You have to fill your stomach with some good ol' greasy food" his voice said as she felt some pills being put in one hand and something cylindrical in the other. "Leave me here to die" she rasped as he took again his place on her side, chuckling and whispering "God, you're such a drama queen".

As she took the first sips at the bottle, the tickling at the nipple started anew and, this time, she was able to see Noah's finger playing with her areola as he watched absent-mindedly his own movement. It wasn't even anything sexual; it was just like he was bored out of his mind and the only thing he had found to entertain himself with was her nipple.

"What are you doing with my nipple?" she said with a crocked voice, a small smirk on her face as she kept sipping at her bottle of water. He smiled as he told her "This is my nipple so I can do whatever I want with it". She laughed but it echoed furiously in her head, making her groan lowly. She glared at him "Don't make me laugh, Noah. I don't think I can handle it properly. Now, what is with this nonsense?", making him chuckle and say "You're mine. So all this…", waving his hand all over her body while she was trying not to smile, "is mine and I can play with this nipple as long as I want. You just have to go with the flow".

She shook her head lightly and assed a hand on his mohawk since he was now resting his head on her other boob. "That was one of the most misogynistic thing I have ever heard. A woman's body is just hers, not of her boyfriend" she stated weakly and heard him hummed in response while saying "Well, my awesome body is yours too so it's only fair…". She smiled but shook her head, scraping his scalp with her nails.

Rachel was really close to fall asleep again, lulled by his (now) delicate brushes and his hot breath on her skin, when he decided to speak "Do you remember anything that you told me last night?", glancing up at her only to see her frowning.

"Did I ridiculed myself last night, Noah?" she asked him, a hint of panic in her voice, but he simply reply "When you'll remember, I think we're gonna talk about that more seriously", moving his fingers from her side-boob to her stomach.

That simple gesture immediately made her remember how she told him about their future with their children in detail and she couldn't help but cover her face with her hands: how embarrassing! There was a reason if she always swore off tequila: it made her do stupid things like that! What was he thinking of her now? God, she didn't want to pass for the crazy girl who wanted to force his boyfriend to settle down and have children… She knew that Noah hated that kind of girls! And even if she really hoped that the two of them would create their own family one day, she should definitely not talk about it that early in their relationship!

She was blushing furiously as she muttered "Oh my God. I'm so sorry, Noah. I know that you're thinking I'm crazy but I swear that.." but than something popped up in her head. A name, more precisely.

"Abigail?".

Her voice was even but her heart was pounding against her ribcage. He moved himself so they were looking into each other's eyes, sharing a pillow, and then he started "Yes. I think you're bat-shit crazy. But, believe me, that has nothing to do with your future plan for us. I'm not going to lie and say that I thought about kids 'cause I didn't, except for that on time at Brighton beach with the guys, and we're so not ready to have them yet. But… I fucking want that. I want that with you too. So, when the time is right, we will be the most kickass parents ever!".

A little tear fell from her eyes and, if se wasn't smiling so brightly, he would definitely be worried. But he smiled back at her, brushed the tear off with his thumb and pecked the tip of her nose, whispering "It would be great if they would have your nose. You know I love it".

"You, Noah Puckerman are such an amazing man" Rachel chocked, getting a little bit emotional but was promptly interrupted by her boyfriend, who got up and, after pecking her forehead, stated "Yeah. You're pretty lucky, I know. Now get dressed. We're going to eat our weight in food so the remains of the hungover will go away. And remember me to make you drink tequila more often. Next time you'll dance around a pole I want to be the only spectator and the pole have to be…". He didn't manage to finish that sentence because his girlfriend threw a pillow right in his face.

However, she could help but laugh at him, grimacing at the rumbling that that caused in her head, but then she got up nonetheless and got ready (very slowly and with some difficulties).

(When they came back from their breakfast and stroll around the city, Puck gave to a very confused and still hungover Tina a pint of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream and, when she asked the reason beyond it, he tried to stifle a laugh and simply said "Why don't you ask Chang?". As he walked away, he laughed out loud when he heard Mike's laughter in background)

* * *

**That's it for chapter 23! What did you guys think about it? Let me know by writing a review! It will make me really, really happy!:)**

**Up next: Artcedes' Wedding!**

**See you soon!**


	24. I Do

**HELLO SWEETIESSS!**

**So sorry for making you wait so much time but real life can be quite busy and messy and it sure was for me this last month (and still is!)! Between university, a pretty sweet interniship I'm about to start, family, friend, etc, etc, etc I had so little time to write this chapter. But finally, FINALLY, I finished it this morning! So thank you for all of you who stuck up with me and my story and for every single one of you who reviewed my last chapter. You really are a blessing and I can't describe in word just how much I appreciate your support and your kind words! **

**The next chapter will be the LAST one but I'm planning about doing a sequel so worry not. The only thing is that I really can't tell you when I'll update it but I promise you that I'll try not to make you wait this much for it! And now...**

**You're cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of Mercedes Jones and Arthur Abrams**

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothing. Nor Glee, nor 'I won't give up' (Jason Mraz), not 'You're still the one' (Shania Twain), nor 'Dancing in the dark' (Bruce Springsteen). Sob sob sob. The only thing I own here are the mistakes! LOL**

* * *

Rachel got out from the suite's bathroom in a white fluffy robe, playing with her freshly-made coiffure, and gasped in awe when she saw her.

"Oh my God, Mercedes. You are beautiful" the petite brunette cooed. The ebony beauty was standing in the middle of the room, smiling brightly while her mother, her sister and some other relatives were helping her getting ready.

Her pure white dress had a sweetheart neckline that hugged the woman's blooming curves perfectly and the bodice was beautifully creased while the skirt fell softly around her , creating a little trail behind her.

But the future Broadway star couldn't say anything else more because Kurt slapped her hand and threatened her "If you don't stop playing with your hair, I will cut your hands off! You know I mean it, Rachel Berry!", making the petite brunette gasp and frown. Then the groomsman (who was only there to help the girls with their hair), with his perfect black suit, red tie and cream-coloured pocket-handkerchief, turned to see the bride-to-be and smiled fondly at her, saying sincerely "Mercedes, dear, you are a vision. I'm quite sure that Artie will die as soon as he will see you in all your beauty".

Mercedes snorted and replied with a "Well, let's just hope not! I have to marry him after all… But I can't assure you that he will still be alive after tonight. Let's just say that skinny boy is one lucky man to have all this goodness to hold on to" that had all the people in the room laugh out loud.

When they all calmed down a little and the photographer started to take some picture at Mercedes, Kurt looked at Rachel and stated "Go put your dress on. The others are basically ready; you're the last one", which made Rachel ran out quick from the room: she really didn't want to be the one to ruin her friends' wedding ceremony by being late!

About half an hour later, the bridesmaid were entering in Mercedes' suite. They were absolutely gorgeous in their bright red strapless knee-length dress. The skirt fell in gently frills and a cream-coloured band with a cute bow hugged their waist. When the curvy woman saw them, she couldn't help but gush over them, crying a little and stating that they were all so beautiful.

Mercedes really couldn't believe that she was finally getting married today with the love of her life and, as soon as she told that, her mother opened the waterworks and only some lovingly bitching from both her daughters managed to calm her down.

After taking some pictures all together, they helped Mercedes into the car that would take her and her dad to the Japanese Garden and the group hopped in Britt's car, following Mona's SUV to the location, all bouncing excitedly (well… not Santana; but you could tell that she was really happy for their friends too!).

The whole group arrived at the garden, ushers leaded the women in the Tea Room where they would meet their boyfriends and finally get the whole ceremony started. When they stepped in the room, the men all stopped talking, giving their undivided attention to the girls, only to start talking right after, complimenting them profusely (especially Mercedes, of course).

Puck's breath caught in his throat when he looked at her girlfriend, who was smiling brightly at him and pecked lightly his cheek, brushing one thumb over it to clean any possible trace of lipstick. "Shit, B. You're beautiful" he said as if he couldn't fathom just how much beautiful she looked and how lucky he was. She beamed at him and reply coyly "Thank you, Noah. You are very handsome as well. I love you in suit and tie; so dashing", passing gently one hand on the red tie.

Mercedes cleared her voice so everyone who was gushing on their respective partner would look at her and stated "Love the love right now but I'm supposed to get married. Could we please cut the crap and keep going?", making her friends chucking while taking their places. They waited for an usher to escort Mercedes' mother to her place before starting the processional.

As the string quartet started to play a quiet symphony, the bridal party walked slowly down the aisle: Sam and Quinn, Santana and Brittany, Finn and Marley, Mike and Tina, Blaine and Kurt and, at last, Rachel and Noah. Artie was waiting at the wedding arbour and smiling brightly as his friends were walking and winked at them. Rory was standing proudly next to him, patting his shoulder.

Right after them, the ring bearer and the flower girl strolled down the aisle. They were an adorable little boy, who was the son of one of Mercedes' cousins and wasn't more than 5 years old, in a cute baby suit and with a white pillow with the rings tied on it in his hands, and a cute girl, Artie's younger cousin who was barely 8, with bright blue eyes and dressed in a satin red dress, spreading white petals in the aisle.

When the children took their seat and the maid of honour took her place next the wedding arbour, the quartet started to play "At last" as Mercedes appeared on her father's arm, her eyes immediately finding Artie's and beaming at him.

Rachel couldn't help but look at him; he was so happy he was basically glowing. He was starting at her soon-to-be-wife with misty eyes and a huge grin on his face. He was fidgeting with his hands and his eyes didn't leave his fiancè once as if he couldn't see anything other than his girl. Rachel smiled warmly at him and looked at the bride, who had misty eyes as well and was squeezing her father's arm.

Finally, Trent kissed his daughter and patted Artie's shoulder, leaving the two lovebirds looking at each other and whispering sweet I love you's.

The minister smiled kindly and started "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony". He continued to talk about the love that linked the two in front of him while the two kept glancing at each other and smiling broadly.

As Rachel listened to the priest talking, she could help but looking at the beautiful setting. They were in a shaded area, surrounded by trees, with a pond in sight and the gently background noise of a waterfall. That place was idyllic. Even the people who were simply strolling around the park, hushed their voices in respect of the ceremony that was taking place.

Rachel's full attention went back to the priest and his friends when the minister said "Into this holy union, Artie and Mercedes now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now; or else for ever hold your peace".

Mercedes shot a hot glare to the guests and the bridal party as if she dared them to say something, making them snicker. The celebrant chuckled a little as well and stated "Very well. Mercedes, will you have this man to be your husband, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will" replied Mercedes confidently and glancing with a soft smile at Artie.

"Arthur, will you have this woman to be your wife, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" the priest asked the groom as well.

"I will" he said; a happy grin on his face.

The priest looked around and, talking to their families and friends, asked "Will all of you witnessing these promises and do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?", nodding in satisfaction when they all answered "We will".

The priest asked the ring bearer to give him rings, blessing the wedding bands, and asked to Mercedes to repeat after him the vows, looking at her as she was taking in her hands the ring that would have officially make Artie her husband.

With a shaky voice and following the priest's lead, she said "I, Mercedes Jones, give to you, Arthur Abrams this ring as a symbol of my commitment. To love, honour and respect you with all that I am always" while putting the band on his annular and smiling at him, trying to stop the tears from falling.

Then, the groom said as well "I, Arthur Abrams, give to you Mercedes Jones, this ring as a symbol of my commitment. To love, honour and respect you with all that I am, always". He slid the ring in Mercedes' hand and kissed it lovingly while she wiped away one tear that escaped from her eyes.

Rachel was trying to looking out for a tissue in her clutch as she sobbed quietly but Tina tapped her shoulder and offered one of hers (the Asian woman was fully crying from at least a couple of minutes). The petite brunette nodded at her friend to thank her and dabbed her eyes, looking in front of her at Kurt, who was doing the same thing. Then, she looked at her boyfriend, who was staring right at her, smirking. She smiled and mouthed "I love you", smiling even brighter when he winked at her.

After a brief blessing, the celebrant finally stated "I now with divine blessings and the authority vested in me by the State of California, joyfully pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!" and the two happily kissed while their guests clapped and cheered, happy for this union.

The newlyweds grinned at their guests and walked down the aisle hand in hand, with the bridal party on their wake. When they entered in the Tea room, the group of friends immediately threw themselves on them, hugging, kissing and congratulating them for finally tying the knot until the photographer went in an the group followed him outside for the photo shoot.

After the pictures with the bridesmaids were taken, it was the guys' turn so Rachel spent her time looking around with a big smile on her face: that place was absolutely perfect and beautiful.

Her gaze fell on the ring bearer, who was crouched down dangerously close to the pond with a sad expression while his parents were talking with other people, giving the back to the boy, and his siblings were playing tails not far from them. Rachel walked to him and crouched down herself, saying gently "Hello. You are Jamie, right?".

The boy looked at her with his big black eyes and Rachel couldn't help but smiled at him when he nodded quickly and answered coyly "Yes, I'm Jamie. What's your name?". He was precious: short curly black hair covered his head, he had a cute little button nose and his chubby cheeks begged to be pinched lovingly.

"I'm Rachel. What are you looking at?" she asked curiously, diverting her gaze to where several koi fishes were swimming in the shallow pond. He said excitedly "The fishes! They're so big. And I really want to feed them just like those people are doing", indicating a couple of people in front of them who were in their same position but with their hands in the water, "but my mum said that I can't because I would wet my shirt". His face fell at that and the brunette woman felt her heart break at the sight. So she took a decision and stated "If you sit down a little bit further from the edge, I'll go talk with your parents until they say yes, okay?".

Jamie nodded excitedly and did as she told him, a huge grin on her face that made her chuckle all the way to his parents. She approached his father and tapped lightly on his shoulder. He turned around and Rachel was surprised to see that he didn't look much older than her… maybe she got it wrong earlier when Mercedes told her who the boy's parents were. However she decided to give it a try and said "Good afternoon, I'm Rachel Berry. You are Jamie's father, am I correct?". "Yes, you're correct. I'm Matt Rutherford. Did Jamie do something to bother you?" the man threw a glance to the child who was looking at them intensively.

She smiled brightly at him and assured him "Oh no, he's a very well-behaved child. I know that this might seems like an odd request but I'd really like to feel the koi carps and I don't want to do that alone. I asked Jamie but he informed me that he can't because it will ruin his attire. Now, if I promise to help him and make everything in my power to keep his clothes dry and safe, would you let him feed the fishes with me, please?".

The father was trying to keep himself from laughing, Rachel could tell, but she just kept wearing her big smile until he asked "Aren't you a bridesmaid? Shouldn't you be taking picture with the others right now?". Rachel glanced at their friends and saw that the groom was still taking pictures with the guys so she simply answered "I'm not needed there right now and I'd really like to feed the fishes". And that threw the father in a fit of laughter that lasted until he said "God, I knew J was convincing but I never thought he was that good!" and finally agreed to let the child feed the carps.

Rachel beamed at him and hugged him quickly before running to gram some fish feed and get back to Jamie who was now on his feet, jumping in happiness. Rachel helped the child roll the sleeve of his shirt up and passed the feed in his little hand, holding him as he crunched down again and set his hand in the water, giggling when the fishes arrived to eat from his hand.

Jamie was absolutely thrilled and described in every single detail the feeling of the fishes eating from his hands. That was until the food was over and she had to go back and take some more pictures with both the newlyweds so she wiped the boy's hand and forearm with a tissue before fixing the sleeve of the shirt.

She was about to get up when Jamie threw his arms around her, holding her with all the strength that a five-year-old boy could have, and said gratefully "Thank you so, so, so much Rachel. That was so much fun!". The woman hugged him back and kissed him in the temple, saying as she got up and caressed his cheek "I'm really happy you had fun, Jamie. You are a very handsome and polite young man. It was a pleasure talking to you".

"You are very pretty too" he muttered coyly, blushing lightly, which made him earn another kiss on the head before she walked away to where her boyfriend was calling for her.

Noah slid an arm around her as soon as she arrived next to him and questioned "Babe, what was that?", a small smirk on his face, but Rachel just shrugged her shoulder and kissed his lips lightly before nuzzling her nose against his and smiling happily against his lips. She felt him tightening his hold on her, his breathing warm on her; she melted in his embrace, inhaling deeply his familiar scent. Then a click went off.

They turned just to find the photographer looking at them with a smile. "That's a great picture, believe me" he stated, clicking several buttons on his camera. Mercedes rolled her eyes "Yeah, yeah, we all know how cute they are. Now, Diva and Puckerman, bring your white asses right here so we can finish the photo shoot and go eat 'cause this bride is freaking hungry!", which made everyone laugh out loud. Of course, they did like she ordered: they didn't want to be on the end of a furious bride's wrath! Especially when the bride is Mercedes!

* * *

The reception was running smoothly. The hotel did a wonderful job with the decoration and the food was absolutely delicious. The DJ, from his position next to the makeshift dance floor, was playing the music softly, giving the opportunity for the guests to chat without yelling. But, soon enough, she announced "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the newlyweds to dance for the first time as Mrs. and Mr. Abrams. But first some members of the bridal party wants to tell something to them".

Rachel, Kurt, Quinn, Blaine and Tina got up from their seats and took their place next the DJ, smiling when they saw the confused expression that their friends were rocking. The petite brunette took the microphone, while the others were getting ready behind her and setting the right height of some microphone stands, and said "Mercedes and Artie. When you first told us that you two were getting married, you also told us that you didn't want anything more than our presence and participation and we reluctantly agreed. However, we decided that we had to homage your genuine and strong love with something absolutely perfect, in a way or another. And, if there is something I... I mean, we" Rachel made a face, which made the freshly married couple and all the room laugh, "do perfectly is sing. So, we decided not to give you something material but to give you a moment. Your first dance. Please, get up and enjoy".

As soon as the Abrams took their place in the middle of the dance floor, the first chords of "I won't give up" started. The lights dimmed and a spotlight illuminated the couple while they started to sway following the rhythm, holding one another and smiling as if they were the only people in the room.

When the second chorus came along, some others couples joined Artie and Mercedes on the dance floor, which was basically packed with dancers as the song ended and the singers bowed in front of the clapping crowd. The groom and the bride hugged them and thanked them profusely before stepping again on the dance floor and talking lightly with some of the guests that wanted to congratulate them while they kept dancing.

Noah kissed his girlfriend's shoulder when she sat down next to him and told her "You kicked asses on that stage, babe", receiving a huge smile that made him grin at her as well. Rachel glanced at the newlyweds and stated "I'm so happy for them. I'm really glad they liked the surprise", leaning her head on her boyfriend's shoulder and keeping glancing at the dance floor. She felt his lips pecking gently her head as his thumb stroked lazily the space between her shoulder's blades. She was still captivated by the people dancing, not even listening to her friends' bickering and conversation, when she felt someone poking her. She glanced down and smiled widely when she saw a familiar face, only to frown right after.

"Hello Jamie. Are you okay? You seem a little flustered. Would you like a glass of water?" the woman asked worriedly, passing a hand gently over the boy's cheeks and forehead so see if he was hot. The boy was basically crimson and, when she touched him, he got even redder (Rachel didn't know it was even possible). Jamie turned to his table to look at his siblings, who were snickering watching the scene unfold and were doing the call of a chicken. At that, the boy turned again abruptly towards the petite brunette, eyes and fists clenched, and blurted out "…".

Rachel frowned some more and told him "Jamie, I didn't understand what you said. Could you kindly repeat?". She watched the boy open one eye and, slower and just a little bit louder, he repeat "Rachel, would you like to be my girlfriend?". The woman beamed at him and put her hands over her heart, overwhelmed by the cuteness of the proposal.

However, before she could reply to him, she heard Noah say "Dude, are you trying to steal my girl away from me? Not cool!". Rachel turned to glare at him and noticed that all the people at the table were watching the scene unfold with amusement in their eyes but she decided to leave them alone and just growled "Noah, stop that!". She was shocked when Jamie said, with absolutely certainty "Yes, I am! I think she's really pretty and we would go feeding the fishes together everyday. I would treat her well". He started at Rachel in the eyes and stated, with a huge smile "You would have more fun with me than with him", which made Noah snort, gaining a strong pinch on his leg from the petite woman that made him hiss.

The boy than continued "You can come home with us. You would sleep in my sister's bedroom, 'cause she have bunk bed, but we could have fun all together even if she's a little bit lame and so is my brother but they can be fun too. We could bake together and watch cartoons on Sunday morning. And I would wake you up in the mornings so we could eat all the Fruit Loops and Oreos that we want without mommy and daddy getting angry because they're not healthy. My friends would be so envious that I have such a pretty girlfriend. We could do everything together".

Rachel caressed gently his cheek and said "Oh, Jamie, you are the sweetest boy I've ever met and I'm sure I would have so much fun with you and your siblings but don't you think that I'm a little bit too old for you? Don't you have a girlfriend back home? I'm sure that you're a heartbreaker, you're really charming".

He shook his head and made a face, which made Rachel (but especially Noah) laugh. The boy stated "No. They're gross and have cooties. And they're not very fun. They always want to play house instead of tails". She smiled at him and replied gently "Sweetheart, I am a girl too" but Jamie simply replied "I know. But you're cool and you smell like strawberry".

The petite woman blushed a little, looked at him in his big black eyes and said "Thank you very much, Jamie. I'm very flattered by your sweet words but I have a boyfriend, a brother and friends and I don't want to make them sad by moving so far away from them. But, if you want, we can dance together now so we can spend some time by ourselves and have fun. What do you say?". The boy's face fell a little at the rejection but agreed to dance with her so Rachel took him in her arms and pecked his cheeks several times until he giggled against her shoulders.

Noah smirked looking at the two dancing together and didn't notice that Santana sat next to him. "That was a close call, Puckerman. The proof that even a toddler has more game than you have" stated Santana but he frowned and corrected her "The kid's five. He's not a toddler. I thought that English was taught in the place you come from!". She raised an eyebrow, asking him "Lima, Ohio?" and laughing out loud when he replied "No. Fuckjuana, Mexico or where the fuck you're coming from!".

She punched his arms hard but she said, between the laughter "Shit, you're an asshole! And my family is Dominican! Don't even know what Rach sees in you!". Noah just turned his head slightly towards her with a wicked grin but he didn't have to tell his friend anything because she immediately admitted "Fine. You can fuck her into coma but that doesn't change the fact that you're a bitch". He leaned on the backrest of the chair and told her with amusement in his voice "Way to call the kettle black, pot", which made the Latina smirk and turn her attention back to her best friend and the little boy. After a couple of seconds in silence, Santana told him "I always wondered why on earth she decided to put up with me even if I was a bitch to her throughout high school and still am, sometimes… But do you want to know what I think? I think that no normal person could handle her like we do. Look at her closest friends: Kurt is a major diva and his ego is the size of Brazil but they are basically fucking twins so, even if they are able to rip each other's heads off when they argue, they know how to handle one another. Quinn seems like she just came out of a Audrey Hepburn's movie but she can be a ice queen and a real bitch, putting Rachel in her place every time she's a psycho diva. And me… well… I'm just awesome like that, being brutally honest, and I'll cut every bitch who even tries to hurt her. I have razors in my hair. It's not a legend. Just ask Kelly Lewis. She's still got scars".

Noah couldn't help but laugh at what Santana just said and kept chuckling even when she added "And then there's you. I don't even know how on earth the two of you go along but somehow this strange mash-up works out and that makes the rest of us want to puke and swoon at the same time with all the lovey-dovey shit you pull all the damn time. Do you know that Britt is at her second 'Puckleberry scrapbook'? Seriously, shit is creepy as fuck and I keep finding pictures of you two all over the place. I don't want to see your fugly face while I pee, thank you very much. However; you level down her crazy and she levels down your assholeness. And… I think you're doing a pretty good job so far with her. I've never seen her that happy in a relationship".

Santana turned to see Noah staring in disbelieve at her before stating with a hint of tease in his voice "Are you saying something nice about me, Lopez? Really? Didn't peg you for one of those people who turn into a softie at weddings", wincing when she punched his arm. Again.

Comfortable silence settled between them as one song finished and another started right after; Jamie was holding on Rachel so tight that she really didn't have the heart to put an end on their dance so she kept swinging, the little boy safe in her arms. Puck stated seriously "She's pretty great. The first one in a longass time that really makes me want to… I don't know… Be better, I think, and want to build something together. And the thing that really blows my mind is that she didn't ask me to change and shit like that; she just loves me for who I am. How the hell is that even possible?".

He passed one hand on his mohawk and sighed deeply before muttering "Shit, I'm not drunk enough for this conversation", taking a long gulp at his glass of wine while Santana was strangely silent.

After a while, she simply said "I know what you mean. We're two lucky motherfuckers", a small smile gracing her features as she stared at Brittany, who was dancing with Finn on the dance floor. Puck looked at (or more like studied) her face and then got up from the chair, offering out his hand to his friend. Santana just looked at it and at him with a raised eyebrow until she got what was his aim.

"Oh, hell no! I'm not going to dance with you Puckerman! Now I am not drunk enough for this" but he grabbed her hand nonetheless and dragged her on the dance floor. He held her tight until she relaxed against him and muttered, laughing lightly "Shit, Puck, you're a pain in the ass". He planted a huge, obnoxious peck on her forehead and laughed out loud, stating "I'm just awesome like that".

* * *

Rachel was in heaven, dancing slowly at one of her favourite songs with her boyfriend's arms around her, holding her as close to him as humanly possible. Her left hand was playing with the end of the mohawk while she nuzzled her nose lightly against his cheek, making him smile and hold onto her even tighter.

She sang softly in his hear, following the lyrics of the song, to dedicate them to him. "_You're still the one that I love, the only one I dream on, you're still the one I kiss goodnight_".

He looked at her right in the eyes before kissing her slowly and lovingly. When they broke the kiss, he said lowly "Babe, I was thinking…" just to be interrupted by his girlfriend who teased him "That's already a great thing, honey. You should do that more frequently".

"Ah-ha. So funny" he deadpanned as the song finished just to be substituted by a more upbeat one. He groaned and tried to move and drag her somewhere else to talk but she held her ground and kept her arms around him, still swaying gently.

He stared at her and, smirking, said "Babe, I don't think that this is how you dance 'Dancing in the dark'. Come on, let's go somewhere where we can talk" but she shook her head and the only thing Puck could do was follow her lead, his heart swelling with pride when she beamed at him as if he was the best boyfriend on earth.

She passed one hand on the back of his neck and asked him "So, what did you want to tell me?", looking at him with her big doe eyes. He sighed deeply before saying "Let's live together".

It wasn't a question. More like a statement. And it totally surprised Rachel. It was definitely not an everyday occurrence being proposed to move in with someone. Twice in the same day.

She blinked at her boyfriend a couple of times before asking "Pardon me? Could you repeat what you just said? Because I don't think I understood your statement". Noah rolled his eyes and explained himself "Don't be a drama queen. You know what I just said, babe. What's wrong with that? When Jamie was talking, I thought that I really want those thing too".

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows, asking slowly "You want to watch cartoons together on Sunday mornings and bake?", which made Puck laugh and say "That too. That too, babe". She, then, asked him more seriously "So you came up with this idea because of a 5-year-old boy asked me that same question like one hour ago?" but he shook his head quickly and continued "I've been thinking about it from awhile but I couldn't find the right time to talk to you about it. It's just that… I want to wake up with you next to me, or have you to go home to. It would be fun-fucking-tastic to have a place to call 'ours' so we would stop sleeping one night at your place and the other at mine. Seriously, one day I was even out of socks at my place 'cause I forgot all of them at yours! So, what are you saying, B? Want to move in with your man?".

Rachel's gaze softened as he talked and, when he finished talking, she leaned her head on his shoulder and remained silent, thinking intensely about it. She would loved to have there her cardboard to make a quick pros/cons list and have a more general point of view about the whole situation.

But, after a while, she just blurted out "What about Finn?", making him reply tentatively "What about Finn, what?". She stared right in his eyes while she explained herself a little better "Well… I live with him. I just can't leave him to deal with all the cost a household requires all by himself. It's not fair to him and…" but he interrupted her rant by squeezing her hip and uttering "Rachel, stop that. Just answer that: do you want to live with me?".

Rachel looked into his deep hazel eyes. Seconds of silence seemed hours until she whispered "yes" but he was taken aback by her uncertain response and snapped "If you don't want to, you don't have to say yes. I'm a big guy, I can handle rejection. Hell, I lived with it almost my whole life".

His hands fell from her hips and tried to free himself from her hold but she held him tighter and stated seriously "I do want to live with you. I really do. Don't even think that my doubts are related to my feelings for you or to the future of our relationship. I love you, Noah. For crying out loud, I told you I want to have your babies. That's says a lot about how much I believe in us. Do you really think that I don't want to live with you? We basically live together even if we have to divide ourselves between two places. I can't even sleep well if you're not by my side".

Her voice was so sincere and soft that he calmed down instantly. He slid his arms around her waist and rested his forehead on her shoulder, holding her tight against him, when he felt her hand passing gently in his mohawk and her lips pecking his neck. He muttered "They why the hell are you holding back? Shit should be reverse. You should be all over living together and I should be the one scared shitless, since you're the one who always was in a committed relationship while I used to fly solo".

Rachel nuzzled her nose and told him "I'm not scared. I just… I have lived with Finn basically my whole life. Since we arrived in New York, we always struggled money-wise and we really have to work us to the bone to pay for our livelihood there. That only changed because he started to work at the club and the salary was really good. But now that he doesn't work there anymore, I don't want to leave him to face all those costs alone; I don't want him to spend everything he saved because I decided to move out. It's not fair to him".

Puck rose his head from her soft shoulder and looked in her eyes, raising his hand to her cheek to stroke it with his thumb. They swayed gently a little more at the upbeat Springsteen's song before he stated "Babe, I'm sure that if you talk to Finn he would be just happy for us and he wouldn't hold the fact that you're moving out to live with your boyfriend against you. Just talk to the guy; I'm sure you're freaking the fuck out for nothing".

Before continuing, he took his time to study her features: her bottom lip trapped between her teeth like she always did when she was thinking very hard about something; the way her big brown eyes were transfixed on her hands that were caressing his torso absentmindedly. He took a deep breath and said "B, I'm not saying that we should move together next week but, if you're cool with it – and, apparently, if Finn is cool with that too – we can start searching for our place. Nothing's gonna change between us if you tell me that you're not sure about it. It might sting like a bitch at first but, I promise you, I'll just get over it. Be honest, Rach. It's all I'm asking for".

She rose her head and he could see a small, sincere smile playing on her lips. She snuggled next to him, her left hand open on his muscular chest and her right one sliding up and down his back. She was in front of a crossroad: keeping to live with Finn, not putting him in a possible awkward financial situation in a future, or following her heart and moving in with Noah? As she thought about it, her heart started beating a little bit faster in exhilaration and, even if she felt like she was betraying her beloved brother, she looked up at her boyfriend and stated with certainty in her voice "I can't wait to live with you".

Puck saw the huge grin his girlfriend was flashing him and he couldn't help but grin back widely and didn't hide the excitement in his voice when he said "Really, Rach? You sure?", spinning her around when she nodded quickly. When he put her down, she stated "I'm sure about this and I'll talk to Finn as soon as we return to New York. I think it's better if we talk calmly and extensively because I don't want him to feel like I am abandoning him".

He caressed her neck and asked in concern "Do you want me to be with you when you'll tell him? You know, for support and for kick his ass if he acts like a moron" but she shook her head and said that it would be better if the two siblings had the chance to be alone so they could speak more freely about feelings and financial matters. "And you're a kind of a jerk when sensible issues are on the table, honey, so I don't think you would be very helpful. No offence" she added, making him laugh out loud.

"None taken, babe. None taken" he said before kissing her soundly and adding, a big smile on his face and excitement in his voice "So we're doing it, like, for real?". When she nodded, an equally big grin and sparkling eyes, and replied "We really are", Noah really thought he was one of the luckiest motherfuckers on earth.

The only thing that he could do for the rest of the night was smile at her girlfriend and rock that insanely happy grin, which didn't want to go away from his face (Santana thought he was shitfaced because of his dumb grin and didn't believe him when he told her he was not… She just told him that his 'drunken smile' was 'creepy as fuck so wipe it off from your ugly face before kids see it and get scared, ruining their childhood forever').

Rachel was enthusiast too but, since she was a happy person and she always smiled a lot, she showed it by being extremely touchy-feely with her boyfriend. The only times she wasn't with Puck were when she was dancing with the groom or with one of their friends. She would snuggle against Puck, kissing him lovingly, hugging him, holding his hand and giggling for the rest of the night.

Santana told them that they wanted her to spoon her eyes out of their sockets with all that crap but Brittany immediately chastised her while taking a lot of pictures of them. They was so caught up with each other that they barely registered the blue-eyed woman say "I so will start a third Puckleberry scrapbook with all these photos. Lord Tubbington will be so happy. It's one of his favourite ship, second only to Brittana. Aren't they cute?" and the Latina's reply "Yes, they are but Brittana are so much better".

The wedding ran to an end quite quickly (well… Not really quickly but they were all having so much fun that they really didn't realise it was that late) .

After the bouquet's and garter's toss (items that landed in Britt's and Finn's hands respectively – Santana's face when Britt caught the bouquet was absolutely hilarious! Puck thought she was having an heart attack!) and the farewell to the rest of the guests, the bridal party hugged goodbye to the newlyweds, who were ready to retire in the wedding suite that Mercedes' father reserved for them and cash in all the benefits of the first night as a married couple.

When Rachel snuggled next to Noah (after having enjoyed some very satisfying 'Yay-we're-gonna-live-together' sex) and rested her head on his chest, she thought that she was one of the luckiest woman on the planet: she had two wonderful fathers and an equally amazing brother who loved and supported her unconditionally, the best friends in the entire world and she was about to achieve her biggest dream. But, most of all, she felt lucky because she loved and was loved by one of the best man she knew. And just because of that, she snuggled even closer and pecked that spot right above his heart before whispering a quiet "I love you" and falling asleep herself.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think of it? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Please, let me know by writing a review! It's the only way I can understand if you like what I write and they really, really, really make me so very happy!**

**Thank you so much for reading! You are amazing and deserve a cyber-hug! *hugs* See you soon!**


	25. Good Times Never Seemed So Good

**That's it, my friends. This is the last chapter of my first multi-chaptered fan fiction.**

**It was quite a journey and I really wanted to thank every single one of you who stuck with it, waiting patiently for the uploads. I know that I said it in each chapter's introduction but you really were the best part of this journey and I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I would never had the guts to write (and finish) it if it wasn't for your amazing support. So thank you for putting my story in your favourite's and alert's lists but, most of all, for reviewing it. Thank you to all those amazing souls who helped me become a better writer. (And thank you for overlooking to some cringe-worthy grammar mistakes! I apologize!)**

**As right now, I'm working on a one-shot and I really hope to post it by the end of the week. I'll start the sequel as soon as I can! I already have so many ideas for that! Hope you'll stick around to read it as well!**

**So, here we are. I leave you to the last chapter! Hope you'll like it!**

* * *

The more time passed, the more excruciating Rachel's rehearsals were.

Early morning practice. Quick lunch. Afternoon rehearsal (that would turn into a late evening one almost everyday). Passing out as soon as her head hit her pillow. Repeat.

She barely talked to Noah in that period of time. She only saw him when he slept over (she really wanted to sleep in her very comfortable bed and her place was closer to the theatre than his anyway) and they really didn't talk very much since she was exhausted at the end of the day.

The last time Rachel saw her friends was at Mercedes and Artie's wedding, with the exception of Santana, who, after a couple of days of Rachel not picking up her phone calls, camped outside the theatre and forced her into a semi-decent lunch in a lovely deli, talking her ears out about how much of a crappy friend she was for letting that much time without talking to her.

And Finn? Finn was an angel to Rachel: he did all the chores, he (along with Noah) made sure that she was well fed and she had nothing to worry about, even taking care of their fathers' accommodation during their stay in the city. He even organized all the congratulation cards that all their relatives, her friends and teachers from NYADA and their former Glee Club mates were sending her so the only thing she had to do was reading them right before bed (he would even take note of what she said and would send out 'Thank you' cards to each single person who wrote her or sent her flowers).

And, after every thoughtful act from him, Rachel felt a pang of pain at the mere thought that she still didn't talk to him about the fact that she and Noah wanted to move together. So, one day, she decided that the day to talk to her brother about the moving had come.

She texted to Noah and told him her intention and that it was for the better if he stayed at his place and leave them time to speak. Puck was absolutely understanding and he immediately texted back:

**From: Noah "Ok babe. Remember that I luv u and if he acts like a prick , call me. I'll kick his ass. C u 2morrow, B"**

She came home from the rehearsal a little earlier than usual (the director had to attend a press conference so he called an early evening and let the cast go their own way, much to everyone's relief). Finn was watching a movie and was surprised to see his sister at home that early.

He shot her a cute goofy grin and greeted her "Hi Rachie! Already home today? I didn't prepare you dinner yet! What do you want to eat tonight? We still have some zucchini rolls that Mar sent yesterday – thank God, Puck didn't eat them all! He's like Pac-man, chewing everything that happens to be in front of him… it's not healthy, you should talk to him about that! Speaking of him, do you know why isn't he already here? Usually, he's here by now…".

Rachel put a stop at his stream of words saying "I told him not to come tonight", which made the tall man frown and reply seriously "What did the idiot do? Should I kick his ass?". The woman rolled her eyes but smiled at Finn's protectiveness towards her. He really was a fantastic brother.

She sat next to him on the couch and started "Everything's alright and he didn't do anything wrong. I just wanted to talk to you about something very important. Have a sincere brother-sister conversation and talk about our feelings because I think that what I will say to you will cause some sadness and distress and probably you will have many questions after my confession. I just want to clear the air and come clean to you, because you're my brother and I love you deeply. I hope that what I will say won't change what there's between us. If that will be the case, I will be devastated". She took a deep, shaky breath and continued "But it's time to have this talk".

Finn looked at her warily and nodded slowly. "Okay… Whatever you have to say, I'm listening" he said, worry in his voice. He turned his body so that he was now facing his sister, who had a very tense smile on her face.

She was preparing herself for this conversation from the moment their plane landed at the JFK but looking at him right now, his brown eyes looking right into hers and a encouraging dimpled smile on his face, all the words seemed wrong and her mind went black. How could she break his heart like that, abandoning him? However, she really loved Noah with all of her being and she knew that she had taken the right decision by accepting his proposal.

"Finn, you do know that I love Noah very much, right?" she watched him nod in agreement (probably wondering what that had to do with him – 'Oh, poor Finn, he doesn't know yet that I'm about to break his heart' she thought) "I love him like I've never loved anyone before. None of my previous boyfriends made me feel as loved and cherished as Noah makes me feel. He's like my missing puzzle piece. I think our love is the type of love that makes people write sonnets about. It's as if every single love song was written just for the two of us and it feels so right to love him just as strongly and passionately as he loves me. I know that you will probably be disoriented after what I will say to you but, please, don't hate me because of that. I can't stand the idea of you being mad at me. I love you so much and you were my very first best friend. I just can't…".

Finn looked very confused as he said "Rach, is there a point? Because, seriously, I can't see it and you're freaking me out".

"Noah and I decided to live together on our own" she blurted out quickly.

Immediately she covered her mouth with both her hands: that was really not the way she wanted to tell Finn. It was so indelicate! (Guessed that Puck was rubbing off of her after all!).

Finn's eyes lit up and exclaimed "Really? I'm so happy for you Rachie!", launching himself at her to hug her properly while Rachel stayed still, stunned by his reaction. Where were the tears? The loathing? The pain? The pleas 'Don't leave me, Rachel!', 'I'm lost without you, Rachel'? Where the heck was the dramatic and cathartic conversation that she had imagined up until that moment?

The tall man detached himself to see the reason behind her lack of response so he asked "What's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy about that?".

Rachel stated confidently "Of course I'm happy about that. You know that I really think about every aspect of every decision I make so it's clear that I'm really ecstatic about this new adventure with Noah. It's just…". She studied her brother's features a little more but found nothing but happiness for her. "Are you sure you're okay with this? Don't you feel like I'm abandoning you? Leave you on your own to deal with bills, rent and whatsoever?".

Finn slid an arm around her shoulder and dragged her next to him so she could rest her head on his shoulder as he replied "Rachie, I'm a grown up and I can deal with the costs of the house just fine. Between my savings, the money of the gigs with band and my salary, I have no problem at all. If you feel better, I could ask Sam if he wants to move in since, apparently, his roommate is going to move out pretty soon".

He poked playfully her side, making her squirm and giggle, which made him smile. The he added "I'm just happy to see you happy. And, strangely enough, I have to thank Puck for that. So don't you worry about me, Rachel. You have my blessing".

Rachel looked up at him and, sliding her arms around him, she murmured "Thank you Finnie. It really means a lot to me knowing that you're okay with that".

Comfortable silence settled among them as the siblings watched the TV absent-mindedly. That was until Finn decided to speak again, amusement in his voice "Dad and daddy will pee in their pants in happiness when you'll tell them. They already wanted to adopt him after five minutes they knew him; this will just set them in the state of mind of a future Puckleberry wedding. And think about Brittany! Oh my God, she will probably cry happy tears like the time Lord Tubbington told her the magic ingredient of Otter Pops! Not to forget Mrs Puckerman. You ready to start sending wedding invitation out? By the way, I talked to Puck and he said that his mother and sister will drive here a couple of days before the opening and are staying at his place. When I told daddy there they will be at the opening as well, he demanded to have a family dinner with the Puckermans so we can get to know each other better. Brace yourself, lil' sis", which made her growl.

But then, after a while and with a small voice, she asked him "Are you going to be there by my side?".

"Always, Rachie. I'm always going to be by your side" he stated, kissing her head and holding her a little tighter.

* * *

The day of the opening night, Puck woke up at the crack-ass of dawn and that really pissed him off at first (he took the day off and really hoped to sleep till noon!) but his stomach was turning and he definitely slept like shit.

He totally blamed the fact that he was sleeping on the couch because his ma and sister were currently occupying his bed… definitely not the fact that he couldn't sleep without his Jewish American princess cuddled next to him and the fact that was freaking the fuck out for the show opening.

Don't get him wrong: he was damn sure that his girl would bring the house down and blew everyone away but there was a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach that would not go the fuck away.

He checked his phone. 6:30 a.m.. He growled and got up from the couch and padded in the kitchen, looking out for anything to eat. He had his head in the fridge when a voice startled him, making him hit the back of his head when he jumped at the sound.

"What the hell are you doing in my kitchen?" the voice said.

Puck straightened up, massaging the back of his head and glaring at the fucktard that was his best friend. "The hell do you think I'm doing? This is my kitchen too. And keep your voice down, moron. My ma and Becca are still sleeping" Puck hissed, rolling his eyes when Sam crossed his arms and stated sadly (and in a lower tone) "No, it's not since you've told me that you're moving out".

Puck chuckled at his attitude and, as he picked the pizza leftovers to put them in the microwave, he uttered "Jeez, Evans. Turn down your jealousy a peg or two, would you? I know you have a crush on me but, seriously, Fabray might get jealous".

Sam punched his friend's arm and frowned before saying "I'm not jealous. I'm just… sad! You were my first friend in the city. You're my bro. It's gonna be weird to live here without you". Puck cocked an eyebrow at him and muttered "Fuck, Sam, seriously! Finn took it better than you did and the guy had lived with Rach his whole fucking life! Nothing's gonna change. You're still my bro, we're still in the same band and we're still going to see each other – even too much for my fucking liking since Rachel is already talking my ears off about dinners with all of you misfits at our new place. Not to forget: we haven't found a place yet so I'm going to stay here till we find it. Seriously, stop with that Eeyore's attitude or I'm going to punch the crap out of you".

Sam smiled at him in amusement but Noah immediately shot back, reading into his friend's mind "Hey, I have a little sister. I had to know who Eeyore is. I'm not like you who had the Winnie The Pooh's secret diary since you were a little girl". The mohawked man faked a little girl's voice "Dear diary. Today I hoped that Puck would give me a kiss but he didn't so I just drooled and stared at him the whole time. He's so hot!" which made the blonde man laugh out loud (he had to cover his massive mouth with his hands to muffle his laugh) and then Sam added "You're a complete asshole. And definitely not my type".

Puck laughed as well and replied "Not what you said before. But for real man, calm the fuck down. And, dude, if you even try to give Rachel a hard time about that, I will kill you. Best bud or not, I don't give a shit. I will kick your ass".

Sam watched him with amusement and tried to steal from him one slice of pizza but Puck shot him a murderous glare that made him change his mind. Instead, he picked up one apple and, after biting it once, he said "It's nice to see you go all protective on Rachel. I've seen you act like that only for Becca, your mum and your Nana… oh, and for Beth. Never for a girlfriend".

Puck chuckled and went to the living room, sitting on the couch (immediately followed by the southern man). "That's because I didn't do girlfriends before Rach. Because no one was as fucking awesome as Rach is. She's pretty perfect. Bat-shit crazy… but I really dig it. Do you know she's not talking to anyone until tonight? Like, at all! She writes what she wants to say in a fucking portable blackboard 'cause she wants to save her voice for tonight. You see what I have to go through? But shit, she's… She's great. So just be happy for me and stop busting my balls because we want to live together".

Sam sighed deeply before saying "I'm happy for you two. I really am. I know she's great. I mean, she's able to keep up with your bullshit. Just for that she deserves the title of 'saint' in my book". The blond was interrupted by the other man who glared at him and stated "We're Jewish, asshole".

The blonde scoffed but kept talking "Anyway, you two are a great couple but I'm going to miss you around the house. Our COD tournaments, our movie nights, our 'free burps' Fridays… It's like breaking up with a long-term girlfriend but still remaining friend with her. It's freaking strange!".

At that, Puck got up, grabbed his friend by the collar of his T-shirt and shove him towards his room, down the hallway, while muttering "Get the fuck out of this room and come back when you're not on your rag anymore because, seriously, it's too fucking early for me to deal with your shit and I'm not down with being called your 'long-term girlfriend'. And in the meantime, try to remember where the fuck you lost your balls 'cause, I'm sure as hell, you have a vagina down there right now", which made Sam laugh.

When the blonde was about to get in his bedroom, he turned around and stated loud enough for Puck to hear "Say what you want but I know you're going to miss me too". He closed the door to get ready to work, leaving the hazel-eyed man chuckling in the hallway.

Very quietly, he opened his bedroom's door and, trying not to wake her ma and Becca up, he grabbed his laptop and padded his way back to the living room. He turned it on and typed on the Google search bar "Real estate listings New York City".

Rachel and Noah already started a list of all the apartment that they liked so far based on the pictures they saw on the different agencies' websites, cataloguing every single apartment by position, square footage, cost, neighbourhood crime rate, proximity to their friends' houses and workplaces. (Yeah… Guess who came up with the idea of the list?)

It wasn't a very long list… Something like five apartments so far but, at least, it was a start. They decided to start calling the different agencies and check the apartments themselves after a couple of weeks from the opening so Rachel could focus just on being amazing on the show and let the hype of the first shows dim.

He told his mother his plan of living with Rachel a couple of days before, when she arrived from Massachusetts. She cried. A lot. Like, real fat tears rolling down her cheeks while she squealed and talked very fast. Something in Yiddish were threw in just for good measure… He tried to tune her out but he caught some random words like "my boy", "dress", "rabbi Cohen", "spring", "babies" and "Jewish" (that one being repeated every two words).

After ten minutes of non-stop rant, Puck just went out of his house, leaving the woman crying and freaking out on his couch as she dialled his Bubbe's phone number while Becca was cursing at him for leaving her to deal with their crazy mother.

He clicked on a picture of a pretty nice apartment in Williamsburg with a kickass view of the city. He smiled as he imagined himself and Rach living there so he grabbed his phone and typed

**To: Rachel* "Found a pretty kickass apt in Williamsburg. Adding that 2 da list. Can't wait 2 live w/ u, babe. C u 2nite. Luv ya"**

He put down the phone and focused back on his laptop, not expecting to hear his phone go off. Checking the caller, he frowned and, picking up the call, he whispered "The hell are you doing up, babe? And why are you calling me? Shouldn't you save that pretty voice of yours for tonight?".

_"Don't make fun of me, Noah. I decided that I can still talk if I talk really quietly. And I can't sleep. I suppose the nerves are getting the best of me. But the real question is what are you doing awake? You should enjoy your day off and sleep a little bit more"_ Rachel's voice whispered sweetly.

Puck smiled while strolling down the web page, looking absent-mindedly at more picture and answering "The couch is fucking uncomfortable and, when I decided to go to the kitchen and eat something, Sam cried over the fact that I'm moving out so there's no way I can sleep after that. Seriously, the dude is crushing on me so hard is unbelievable. We should really tell Quinn that she's wasting her time with him".

He heard Rachel giggle from the other side of the phone. Then she quieted down a little and said _"I didn't want to upset him that much. Is he angry with me?"._

He sat up a little straighter and clarified "No, he's not, babe. And you should really not worry about his crazy ass. Especially not today. So stop that crazy train of thoughts right now. You should not get stress today".

He heard her giggle and say "_It's endearing the way you worry about me, Noah. You really are the sweetest_", which made him whine something like "Babe, why do you hate me so much? I am not sweet. I'm badass". It only served to make her coo at him even more because his voice was absolutely adorable.

Then she sighed deeply before telling him "_However, I'm really nervous and, as right now, everything is making me anxious, honey. I barely slept tonight and every time I managed to fall asleep I dreamed that the audience would throw tomatoes at me. It was terrible. Only in the last hour, I checked my weight at least 5 times because I was afraid that I had gained weight in the last 48 hours and the dresses wouldn't fit anymore_".

He quickly replied "Babe, you ain't gained shit. You're fit as fuck. Believe me, I'm an expert about your body. I know every single inch of it perfectly" but she just chuckled and continued _"I feel like I'm losing my mind. So, since I needed something that would take my mind away from the opening and you're awake, I called you_".

He said, his voice all low and sexy "Oh, I have a couple of very, very, very interesting way to blow your mind away and make you stop worrying" but he was promptly stopped by his girlfriend who giggled and stated "_Stop that, Noah! You're in the living room and someone could walk in on you so we're are not engaging in phone sex right now_".

He muttered something like "Party popper" but she just laughed a little more, making him smile fondly (fuck, she was freaking adorable. Like, seriously, how could she be real? He was one lucky bastard).

He was nodding goodbye to Sam who was leaving to go to work when he heard her muttered softly _"I can't sleep without you here_" and fuck… Her voice was so small and sad that he was this close to get the fuck out of his place to go to hers. He was about to say that to her when Rachel added "_But I don't want to keep you away from your family. I know how much Sarah and Rebecca miss you and I know that, no matter how hard you try to deny it, you miss them too so I'm happy that you can spend some time with them. And Teddy is a very cute substitute_".

Puck chuckled when he heard his recorded voice say "_I love you, babe_".

"B, you better tell me you don't prefer a fucking stuffed toy over my hot body" Noah joked, faking offense. The girl laughed and answered "_Never, honey. You're still my favourite_".

The couple talked a little more about the place that he found on the site and then about some other buildings, arguing about the neighbourhood they should focus on. That until he heard her yawned quietly. "Aaaaaand that's it, babe. You're going to sleep right fucking now. I'll write to Finn not to wake you up so you could sleep a little more", he stated, shushing every single attempt from her part to say that she was not tired.

Eventually, Rachel gave up and the two shared their 'I love you's. He smiled as he hung up the phone. Even if he was nervous as fuck, he couldn't wait to see his girl kick some off-Broadway ass on that stage that evening.

* * *

As predicted, Rachel blew everyone away.

All the reviews said that she was 'absolutely breathtaking' and 'perfect in her portrayal of a legendary character, showing the strength and vulnerability of Eponine in an exquisite way".

Puck couldn't be prouder of her. Seriously. His girl was born to be a freakin' huge star and he felt privileged to see her shine so bright, doing something she really loved (and he did not cry when she died. It was just the theatre was full of dust and he was allergic… Oh, shut the fuck up!).

And, after almost a month after the opening night, they finally found the perfect place. It was a two-bedroom apartment in a six-floor brownstone house in Greenwich Village and, as soon as Rachel saw it, she fell completely in love with that ("Oh my God, Noah. It's so beautiful. It looks like Holly Golightly's house!" she squealed when they stepped down the cab – and just because of _that_, Puck didn't want to rent it but then they went in and it turned out to be a pretty kickass place!). The rent was lower that they predicted and it was fairly close to both their workplaces so the only reasonable thing to do was sign the papers right away!

It only took a couple of weeks to make it 'homey'. Even if the place was already furnished, Rachel and Kurt decided that the living room was in need of a makeover so they decided, after the green light from the original owner, to store the old furniture of the room in a storehouse that the tenant owned just outside the city and then the wonder twins (as Santana called them) had fun going to every single flea market ever known to man, picking up the most absurd things. At some point, Noah had to put down his foot down and remind them that he was going to live there too so "no, Kurt, I don't want pink chairs nor plum curtains!". And, come on! Plum? Isn't it something you eat? Why can't the guy just say 'purple', for fuck's sake?

But when it was finally ready, damn. It was fucking beautiful (And he didn't say that only to make Rachel happy… even if seeing her beaming at him after he said that made his stomach do some flips and he couldn't help but kiss her silly).

The living room had the most comfortable couch he had ever sat on and a set of pretty classy vintage recliners and they were settled around a small coffee table, right in front of his bigass TV, which had his console games and all their DVDs and CDs all around it, neatly put in the open shelf. A 6-seater table was not very far from the sofa. In the whole room, Rachel and Kurt used 'warm' colours (which meant absolutely shit to Noah): caramel, cream (again, isn't it something that you eat?!), beige, brown and ochre.

But, of course, his favourite room was the bedroom, with a walk-in closet big enough for the both of them, what it was probably the fluffiest carpet on earth and a super comfortable, soft and bouncy bed (they already test it out several time and Puck was totally satisfied with it!). Hanging on the wall of their bedroom, Rachel hung up a bigger copy of the picture of the two of them that the photographer shot them at their friends' wedding, a house-warming gift from Mercedes and Artie.

That was his favourite thing in the room, hands down. They were just… so perfectly happy in that phone: their noses nuzzling against one another, a satisfied, serene smile gracing both their faces and they were lost in their own little bubble.

That was the expression that he wanted to see on Rachel's face everyday and he would do anything to make it happen.

Rachel was absolutely ecstatic to live with her boyfriend. She loved everything about it.

She loved their place and she really thought that they did a terrific job with it (well… actually Kurt and herself did the majority of the work, looking for the perfect items, but Noah helped them by giving his opinion and lifting all the heavy furniture, with the help of their friends).

She loved their lazy days, when they would just forget the world outside and spend their days on the couch, cuddled next to each other, watching movies or just being silly, playing like little kids.

She loved organising small gatherings with all their friends, having dinner together and spending the rest of the evening, talking and joking while drinking a glass of wine or a beer.

She loved that their place was halfway Finn (and now Sam)'s place and Santana and Brittany's so that it would be easy for her to pay visit easily and frequently, spending some quality time with the both of them.

But the thing that she loved the most was that she got to share all of it with her Noah. It wasn't perfect but she was the happiest girl on the planet. Just knowing that they have a place to call 'theirs' and that he would be there, at _home_, waiting for her when she was done with the show, made her heart beat a little bit faster and smile a little bit wider.

After two months of living together, on a Sunday, he decided that, that day, they were having a lazy Sunday. Well… only Puck would have it since Rachel's was out to be interviewed with some of her cast mates (Puck totally pouted when he forgot about it and looked for her tiny body next to him, founding just cold sheets) and he had no intention of leaving their fucking awesome bed… like at all!

He had a gig with the band the night before and he was beaten (and totally hangover).

The crowd was awesome and they were starting to have a pretty large group of diehard fans that were really amazing. They were so elated by the great response that they decided to celebrate by getting outright smashed. And that is the main reason why he still was in bed at midday, with a terrible headache.

He closed his eyes and focused on his breath until he felt the bed dip and Rachel's soft voice whispering "Wake up, honey. I brought you Thai. I know you love Thai when you're hangover", followed by the sensation of her lips leaving sweet, soft pecks all over his face.

He immediately circled her around the waist and dragged her down so that she fell on top of him with a loud "hmph". She wiggled and whined but Noah, still with his eyes closed, murmured "Not letting you go. Today is lazy Sunday", which made her giggle and reply "It's lazy Sunday only because you're hangover and you don't want to get up since the room will probably start spinning".

"That too. But here I have everything I need. Vitamins, Getorade, water – thanks, by the way – and you… though you're way too dressed right now" he said before trying to tug her soft sweater off but she freed herself from the embrace and stated "We are not going to have sex until you eat something. You have to put something in that empty stomach of yours", laughing when he stated confidently "I can always eat you. You know that you're my favourite berry".

She got out of the room shaking her head but still laughing while Puck frowned for not being taken seriously and covered his eyes with his forearms. Shit, he would not get drunk ever again! (Liar, Puckerman. You're a fucking liar!).

Rachel came back ten minutes later and set a plate with his favourite Thai take-out next to him, saying "We can have lunch in bed if that makes you happier", which made him shoot a huge grin at her as he grabbed the plate and then he started to eat with gusto.

He wolfed down his lunch and made obnoxious noises as he licked his fingers clean, feeling so much better already. Rachel shook her head and smiled while eating her own lunch in silence. Suddenly, he stated "You know what will make this room even more awesome? A TV" but the woman promptly replied "Absolutely no, Noah. We're not going to have a TV set in our bedroom".

He pouted as he watched her clean the angles of her mouth with a napkin and asked "And why is that?", appreciating the view of her fine ass as she moved to put the now food-free plates on the ground.

She resumed her position in their bed and started to talk "First of all, I like to think of this room as our little peaceful oasis, where we can read, relax and talk in tranquillity. If you want to watch TV, we have a very comfortable couch and a lovely living room so you can go there and watch TV all you want while I stay here reading without the non-stop idle talk of the TV. Second, it's scientifically proven that having our brains stimulated by electronic devices, such as television, right before bed, do not lead to a serene slumber and you know how important it is for me and for my vocal cords to rest properly. Third, studies report that the couples that have a TV set in their bedroom have less sex than the ones that have a TV-free bedroom".

Noah's smirk appeared immediately and said smugly "Aww… so you afraid to miss some good ol' Puckerone loving? Well, worry not crazycheeks. You will never have to worry about that" as he launched himself on Rachel, dragging her down the mattress until she was on her back, with him on top of her.

As he worked his way down her down, Rachel rolled her eyes and stated, trying to face annoyance "I can't believe that, out of everything I just said, you only heard that. You're unbelievable" but her body betrayed her as her hips rolled against his and a low moan escaped from her throat. But how could she resist at him while his hand was under her sweater and over her breast, rolling her nipple between his fingers?

As he peeled off her sweater from her, he smirked against her skin and licked a hot stripe across her toned stomach. She bit her bottom lip hard, trying to suppress another loud moan, while passing her hand on the back of his head, tugging at his mohawk lightly.

"Fuck, babe. You're so hot. You really have nothing to worry about. I'm always ready for you. Fuck, I would take residence between you tights" he stated, grinding his hard member against her jeans-clad centre.

He heard her gasp in his ear and a smirk reappeared on his face: he loved her body's reaction when it came to sex with him. After almost a year of intense activity, he knew where to kiss to drive her insane, what made her moan or gasp, how to touch her to leave her breathless or squirming.

He was caressing her ribcage with feather-like touch while she was leaving open kisses on his shoulder when his phone rang.

He groaned and his head fell on her shoulder but he kept kissing her hotly on the exposed skin while she sighed deeply and squeezed his biceps, whispering "Noah… You have to pick it up. Could be important". "No" he whined "Don't want to" but Rachel pushed him away, moving until she managed to grab his phone and passing it to him. Picking up the phone without even checking who was calling, he growled "What!".

Rachel saw her boyfriend freeze instantly, his scowl changing being substitute by a stunned expression, and say "Yes. It's him. No, no, I can talk right now. Uhm… Yeah, I-I know who you are. How can I help you?" He moved from his position between her tights and sat straight on the edge of the bed.

Rachel mirrored his position, intrigued by his change of demeanour. She watched him nod and hum a couple of times and, as the call went further, she saw him relax and smile widely. He passed a hand on his face, beaming as he kept talking "Really? That's…wow. Well, thank you. Thank you so much. Yeah, yeah. We'll be there for sure. Thank you again. See ya".

As soon as he put his phone down on the bed, he turned towards Rachel and started to laugh. She looked at him, frowning a bit, and cautiously asked "Noah, who was that? Are you okay? Why are you laughing?" but she was cut short by him, who took her in his arms and got up, spinning her around the room and making her laugh as well.

"Noah, tell me!" she told him when he put her down but, instead of replying, he kissed her until they were out of air and they were forced to put an end on it. "Noah?" she uttered against his lips. She studied his features as he breathed in and out heavily.

"They want us, Rach. A real fucking record label wants us to sign a contract with them. They said that they were keeping an eye on us from awhile and, after yesterday's gig, they decided to call. We have a meeting Tuesday afternoon" he stated in disbelieve. Rachel's eyes went wide and she started to squeal in excitement, jumping again in Noah's arm.

"OhmyGod, OhmyGod, OhmyGod! I knew you would make it! This is such an amazing news, honey! I'm so proud of you!" she said, happy tears wetting her cheeks "You have to call Sam and Finn. Right. Now! They will be so excited and happy! And we have to call our families and our friends as well! This is wonderful, Noah! You are going to sign your first record deal! Look how far you've gone since we first met! Not that you weren't successful in your own way in what you did but… Wow, honey. A record deal. The whole world will fall in love with you and your music. This is perfect".

She pushed him on the bed and straddled his tight, taking his face in her hands while he chuckled still shocked. She kissed him soundly and, after sighing dreamily, she whispered against his lips "My boyfriend is going to be famous. How are you feeling, honey?".

He held her tight against him and said "I can't believe this is fucking happening. I mean, I hoped that but now… fuck.. it's true. How is it even possible?". He looked right into her big brown eyes, seeing only happiness and pride, and he had to kiss her. Had to. God, he loved her so fucking much it's insane!

They rested their foreheads against one another and Rachel said "Tonight we're going to celebrate. After my show, I'm going to buy a bottle of champagne. This is something that requires champagne!", making him nod. She caressed his cheeks and pecked his nose before stretching out her hand to grab his phone, stating "First of all, you have to call Finn and Sam, honey!".

She tried to move away from him, to leave him to his phone call but he held her even tighter and murmured "Stay with me?". She beamed at him and, after nuzzling her nose against his, told him "Okay. I'm not going anywhere".

And just as he dialled Finn's number, with Rachel on his lap humming "Sweet Caroline" against his neck, he really thought that it was true. Good times never seemed so good and he had to thank his perfect girl for that.

* * *

**Did you like this chapter? Let me know! I would really like for you to suggest me some badass names for the guys' band 'cause I really don't know how to name it! Review it even just to say hello so I can thank you for the support in private! :)**

**Thank you again for the company. Hope you had as much fun as I had!**


End file.
